The Particulars of Youthful Indiscretion
by Terra Khushrenada
Summary: How about this for a short summery: Will not be publishing here any longer. Look it up on Deviant Art.
1. Sir Godrick, Knight of Pacifism

CH7 – Fairy Tales and Princes… NOW AS CHAPTER ONE!_** IN A DIFFERENT STORY!**_

This chapter is pretty much all about Treize's father, Godrick Trieze Khushrenada the Eighth, as an introduction to what the whole point of "By The Roadway" fanfiction is exploring in regards to the general philosophies portrayed in the series of Gundam Wing (and others). He does get mentioned and there is an original character or two – but all is for the glory of what is Gundam Wing and how I feel it could have been even more then it was. Figured I would throw some sunshine to start that Angst-y mix… ^_^

Oh and... ha ha.. did you notice this is a Fanfiction dot Net publication? Yeah if that isn't all of the disclaimer I need something is wrong with the world.

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><p>"<em>Miss Relena. If we let the Sanc Kingdom be destroyed, then who will remain to set that example? Please, let us act as an independent force that can give the philosophy of Pacifism credence amidst this war torn era."<em> – Ch4 Trieze G. Khushrenada XIII "By The Roadway"

'**The Knighting of Godrick… 24-ish years before AC 195'**

Godrick Trieze Khushrenada the Eighth never liked to add his military rank to his title.

Partially since it, as yet, had been so inclined to… 'change'; his cavalier attitude on and off the field had a tendency of getting him demoted more then promoted despite his influential family connections (there was such a thing as TOO MUCH to ignore); Then partially because ranks always made someone _part_ of a hierarchy.

His whole take on the matter infuriated his older brother who had only been granted his mother's Catalonia title of Duke Dermail instead of the entire Khushrenada Dukedom when their father had passed away simply because his younger brother had inherited their family's name sake tradition, and hansom angular looks along with it.

…Dermail had also injured himself when he was young in basic training and been rejected from service.

Godrick's own son, the Trieze Khushrenada that would become infamous to the world, would grow into the spitting image of his father. The man standing on deck now typically wore his russet hair just past shoulder length tied with a blue bow to match his blue Duke's formal jacket. He was one to always prefer a pair of riding boots with how often he'd needed to escape an unexpected turn of events… which he **usually** was the cause of.

Godrick leapt from the rail of the modest yacht he had decided on as transport to this particular social gathering onto the pier. There was a wide grin indeed on his face. Oh how sure he was that he'd be seeing that utter helpless look of inner rage on his etiquette-obsessed brother's face yet again before the night was through.

Today was a day he had been looking forward to for many years:

Marques Alicia Wallace had turned 18 last week. Although Lt. Col. Dugaelus Nigelli, the son of a Scottish Archduke, had already formally requested to court her – that meant nothing to Godrick who had fallen in love with the girl ever since he saved her from a rose bush when they were just children. For the last week he could think of nothing but her beautiful DARK blood-red curls, not at all the orange cop-out that many would pass off as 'red'.

Dugaelus was just another thorny rose bush threatening _HIS_ lady.

From the hushed whispers that steamed out of the corners of the large sun-lit hall he was sure more then a few of the nobles who were members of the prestigious Romefeller Foundation had taken immediate notice of that tell-tail bounce in his stride; a sure sign a good show was to come!

…And there she was, already dressed in white.

Her father, who also hailed from a lineage of deep military traditions, and Marquise Wélige were sitting at a group of couches on one side of the large hall near a balcony that over looked the gardens. They were conversing with the new King of the Sanc Kingdom who had been invited as a special guest to the event. Dugaelus was sitting besides her trying to look and act as much the part of a husband to be that he could.

Godrick casually relieved a passing waitress of her last wine glass as he stalked the unaware group, waiting for his moment to strike. His rival, who'd already had a few drinks himself, couldn't have provided him with a better opening…

"Pacifism is just a ridicules idea!" Lt. Col. Dugaelus scoffed, "Any one with a sense of self-respect and honor can see that it is just an excuse to back down from a man's obligation to fight and protect his love ones."

It was obvious he was attempting to impress his hopeful father-in-law to be. The Peacecraft King could only sigh at the young man's obvious tact and easy dismissal of his well established arguments. He barely had a chance to frown at the huge smile that had suddenly cracked across Wélige's features; as _he_ had spotted the shark approaching.

Godrick spoke closing the final distance – smoothly floating up like a phantom in his half-cape to join the group,

"Strange, as I remember it, you're father has always made a point of making sure you have never been stationed anywhere near the front lines…"

Godrick finished his glass of wine and placed it on the nearest coffee table, before proceeding to stare the man down, one hand on the saber at his hip.

"Are you attempting to insult MY honor? _Sergeant_?"

It …_was true…_ that recently was Godrick's** fourth** time being demoted back to the low rank. Yet still, that in itself was a greater accomplishment in his own mind then if he had sat back and quietly ranked up to Colonel as Dugaelus was doing. Never the less Godrick gave an apologetic bow,

"I would never think to do such a thing Lt. Colonel…" He put on a face of confusion, "It is just…odd… that a man so focused on honor and respect would so casually disrespect the wisdom…of a _King_."

Dugaelus turned bright red and imminently got up to bow himself apologetically to King Peacecraft; who was a little confused at the motivations for this other young noble to have come to his defense.

"If I have offended I offer my humblest apologies, I was merely voicing my own opinions your majesty."

Godrick slipped smoothly past him and into the vacated seat between Alicia and her father, answering the King's unspoken question by producing a yellow rose from under his cape whose edges had been tinged with a vibrant blue. Ignoring the even more off-balance Dugaelus who was just catching onto the ruse he had fallen for so badly, Godrick addressed the young woman,

"M'lady, might I bestow upon you this token of my affection? One like it you shall not find in all the world or colonies, except upon a single bush that grows at my family's castle… painstakingly bred and gently altered with the genes of a blue lotus for generations to become a truly unnatural beauty – Just as you yourself are."

Alicia was positively beaming as she accepted it with a polite nod. Her knight in shinning armor had come on his white horse once again.

An annoyed voice interrupted,

"Dear Duke, you are in my seat." Dugaelus was attempting to maintain a reserved calm that he was not at all feeling at the moment.

"Oh? Tell me… do you intend to stand by your word? Or would you like to share with us your revelations on the wisdom you deemed cowardly not moments ago?"

That was not the answer Dugaelus was prepared to meet. He did his best hide his surprise by drawing his saber as a show of strength – surely the Khushrenada Duke was not _that _brash.

It was yet another mistake as Godrick, grinning, rose and drew his own blade in one seamless movement – he had won already.

"I accept then," turning to King Peacecraft with a salute of his blade he continued, "If it would suit his majesty, since we would engage in such violence, might the rules of tradition be suspended? It would be wrong to spill blood in the name of such ideals as Pacifism."

The King couldn't help but find himself chuckling at such a raw display of chivalry and reckless passion unfolding in front of him, this was certainly the young Duke he'd heard tales of – Knowledge of his exploits extended far beyond the closed Romefeller community…

"If you are indeed to be so inclined, it would be against my principles to stop you! If I have the power to alter such regulations then I would ask: what would you put in their place?"

Godrick's blue eyes slid to the side to look at his prey from beneath their elegantly forked brows.

"…to first humiliation, of course."

Dugaelus' jaw dropped open at that. He himself was a world champion fencer with many trophies to prove it. Rumors of Godrick's swordplay were limited to that: rumors of him playing out ridicules stunts – just like the one he had a feeling he was about to take the brunt of. There was quite an audience by this point.

"Well that would certainly do…" The King could not restrain his mirth at the misguided yet to all accounts honest defense of his preaching. Dugaelus felt it was time to make at least some attempt to avoid what was to come,

"Would you really engage _here_ with so many innocent bystanders?"

Godrick Khushrenada turned to stand at the ready where he was,

"None shall be involved but you and I, Archduke _heir_." The extra accentuation on the fact the other lord had not yet inherited the responsibility of family's estate as his own father was still alive and well.

Dugaelus was barely able to salute and bring his own blade to ready when Godrick struck forward.

The nearly straight blade shooting right towards Dugaelus' throat and past bringing Godrick right along side his out stretched blade. With dizzying speed he then turned and slapped the blade down and switched the direction of his momentum to bring the broad-side of his own blade at the hilt across the stunned man's torso, stepping through the throw as effortlessly as a ballet dancer sending their partner off across the floor – Dugaelus barely managing to keep his feet on his landing, trying to come to the ready fast, expecting a follow through just as quick.

The stronger Khushrenada Duke had plenty of time to play this game out however and was casually walking one quarter circle around his rival. Their blades came together in a standard set: cross mid, low cut by Dugaelus blocked by a straight down ward hold pushing through to a high cross by Godrick – the grate of steel resounding through the hall.

He off-balanced Dugaelus further by retreating from his stance, drawing the Lt. Col. further into the open floor closer to the doorway to the balcony. He swished his blade like an impatient lion's tail, his eyes narrowing under his thin forked brow.

Dugaelus, uncomfortable with the entire situation, came in again foolishly: with the sun full in his face.

It was barely perceptible to any of the witnesses, let alone the victim himself, when Godrick lunged and hooked his opponent's blade from his hand, then rolled in order to give him a hard slap on the rear as he hooked one boot against the other man's foot.

Dugaelus was sent flying out onto the balcony to fall flat onto his face.

His blade neatly landed in Godrick's hand as he sheathed his own saber standing. He turned smartly and went to stand at attention in front of King Peacecraft to present him the blade with a bow.

"The victory is in your favor m'lord." The King took it, unknowing of any other response to have.

"I find it odd that a man so skilled with a blade would support the teachings of Pacifism."

Godrick Trieze the Eighth raised a single brow.

"You misunderstand me. I do not support or refute such things; As much as I have a deep love for conflict, _as many here are aware_, I just do not see why one should ever be proud to send their children to die simply for the purpose of tradition. A true warrior's strength comes from his convictions… Tell me Marques? As women are always so much more _reserved_ in their judgment, what would you rather for yours?"

'Charming' could not begin to describe his smile. 'Demonic' while accurate in the power of its intensity, utterly failed its almost divine nature.

Alicia had been blushing most profusely since the engagement began and was riveted to the edge of her seat by her childhood crush's brutal display of grace.

"I would rather my children live long lives in happiness, but…" She met his blue eyes with her own emerald green. "After seeing such a display of beautiful swordsmanship I know I certainly would be a proud mother if _my_ children were to grow up to defend the dream of peace so beautifully, Sir Knight."

Godrick looked heartbroken at the response for some reason.

"Ah, but I'm afraid you are mistaken m'lady, I am only a duke and have never been knighted…"

King Peacecraft rose to the occasion, unable to bare to see such a perfect scene ruined,

"Then kneel, Duke Godrick Khushrenada…" With an exaggerated flare, Godrick dropped to one knee, King Peacecraft touched the blade of the former rival's saber to each of the young man's shoulders. "By the powers of my Kingdom I do grant thee to rise: Sir Duke Godrick Khushrenada, Knight of Pacifism." Even he couldn't keep the chuckle from his voice as he ended that pronouncement.

Godrick feigned confusion once more looking up,

"Rise? Why that wouldn't do… how would I present m'lady with this other gift of mine?" shifting from one knee to the other and bringing himself in front of Alicia, he produced an antique ring box.

"M'lady… Should your father consent… would you honor this knight as my wife?"

Alicia barely knew if she was going to remain conscious… they had always joked about such a moment, but to live it was entirely different.

The sight of the giant ancient beautiful fire-opal captured by golden branches laden with emerald leaves and tiny diamond acorns simply added to the surreal quality of it all. It was her father's turn to speak on the matter and did so with a toast,

"Well I cannot lie, I would rather my grandchildren live to look after my estate. The Wallace family has attended enough funerals. Knight of Peace or not, it is clear who it is that has won my daughter's affections – to refuse would be a sin." He too had enjoyed the spectacle over his daughter's hand immensely.

Even the feeling of the delicate, cold metal slipping around her finger didn't solidify the dream that was carrying her away.

Godrick took the time then to seek his brother's contemptuous gaze from the upper balcony: just before he kissed his lady for the first time. Her childhood sweet heart had never yet failed to follow through with his word. Applause cascaded through the hall by this point.

Dugaelus had disappeared in shame and the rest of the afternoon proceeded in an easy going, light hearted way.

Sir Godrick ever attentive to his lady to be and with the sunset soon approaching, invited the small group of witnesses to accompany both her and her father to join him on a cruise into the ocean bay.

"Pagan, the wheel for the tack if you may…" Godrick politely entreated of his family's life long butler, before springing to loose the jib on one side and reel it in on the other typically a task done by a two man team.

(^_~ for those with alarm bells ringing, yes… there is a Halloween special side-story – it will even STILL be posted on time if I really crack down on production slack!)

He had removed his outer jackets for the mobility of the loose linen shirt he wore underneath. The wind had taken some of his hair from the bow that had restrained it. Returning to the helm once more he finally decided his thoughts on the King's strange perception of things.

"I cannot deny that it is a known fact: to take a blow is far more difficult then to deal one. It is why the best defense IS a good offense. It is not the matter of which requires a greater level of strength to achieve that makes me so skeptical – It is what happens when, those you would de-throne with your philosophies, come and murder you in the night? Who will be there then to carry on this noble cause of yours? Pacifism is a fine end indeed, but I do not think it could ever be an effective strategy to bear in a true conflict."

"Well," Marquise Wélige decided he might as well weigh in with his opinion finally, "Aren't there other ways to take an 'offensive stance' then to bloody your enemies nose? Though I know that is exactly what you live for yourself, Sir Godrick,"

That brought an almost pirate like laugh from the young lord before the Marquise continued, "Perhaps the tactical skills of war could be better plied to say… investment markets? It's always seemed to me that bringing 'normalcy' to the reaches of space settlements could only quell the dissatisfaction that an occupation can only inflame… and indeed the Alliance has receded as a peacekeeper and is becoming more and more of an occupying force in the world sphere." He ended with a sigh.

It was obvious from his countenance, as Sir Godrick then looked over at his fiancé and father-in-law to be, that he was giving these ideas far more thought then anyone would expect from the headstrong troublemaker.

"The battlefield of development investment markets… hmmm..."

The wind picked up as the sun began to sink below the horizon. The engagement party headed back for a night of dancing that was the highlight of the Romefeller Foundation's yearly cycle of festivities. From this night on Sir Godrick would never have to yield his Lady's arm and wait patiently for the song to be through… that is, unless she'd rather another partner – doubtful thing indeed when she already was with the best dancer in the world.

He didn't ever have to say so himself, the world knew where it stood against Sir Godrick Trieze Khushrenada the Eighth.

(….yes, for those who wonder I am designing a fully articulated spring loaded Epyon Heat Whip for Halloween and any cos-play event to come… I was a Metal's Major…already got the specs drawn out, just need to start playing with springs… And yes I did go play around with two salad tongs for most of a day to get "into the mechanics & mobility" of the aquatic units. Trust me, it was too much fun, don't try it. ^_~)

CH9-2? COMING RIGHT UP! after I finalize ch1-8...!


	2. Down By the Docks

**The Particulars of Youthful Indiscretion…**

The Original Chapter one... so I'm just... gonna leave this here for now and not give myself a headache today...

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND! And the increasing length of chapters in "By The Roadway", I figure it's time that I just go ahead and release this collection of "Young Trieze" adventures in Public Highschool… Followed by the REAL Noin X Trieze that leads into Trieze X Leia and covers that whole section of his life…

I KNOW people are pissed at me for how long Ch9 has been stalled… but don't worry this isn't distracting me from BTRw, this is helping me so I don't have to keep on figuring out how to reference stuff that doesn't quite fit into it… I figured give ya a bit of a snack to munch on while I get the second act in gear!

Think I like starting off similar to "BTRw" with an almost independent introduction, **And then I put ch1 of BTRw as ch1 for this sooooo? whatever... **…Symbolism is HEAVY here and things likely to be mirrored or already mirror things that will happen… love taking those brief snapshots the Gundam Wing animators love to throw in to flush things out during narration bits and elaborating on them… this is off of a brief scene that always had me screaming "ARE YOU SERIOUS? KICK HIS ASS LADY! WHAT KIND OF A MOTHER ARE YOU!" the first time I saw it… Can you remember which one that would be! ^_^ song suggestion: Blitzen Trapper – Furr (love the youtube of some 50's video of kids making an insect farm)

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><p><strong>AC 176… Down by the Docks of the Romefeller Estate…<strong>

A five year old Trieze Godrick Khushrenada XIII was watching his father who was deeply engrossed in a conversation with two other lords. He didn't understand what they were talking about; but what he did understand was that his father, contrary to his mother's request, was not paying the slightest bit of attention to him. Leaning up against the stone wall of the waterfront garden watching the 'old men' talk, Trieze decided it was a sign his father hardly wanted his son to wither away from boredom and set off to look for more interesting experiences.

A red bird fluttered out of a bush, frightened by the child's approach – close enough Trieze felt the whoosh of wind as it just escaped his grasp when he automatically snatched out at it. He watched it fly through the bars of the gate, down low over the ground before soaring over one of the docks; then swinging down into water where it disappeared a moment before flapping up into the air and out of sight.

"Darn, it got away…" He narrowed his eyes, even this young it was clear he was taking after his father's looks down to the forked brow even if his hair was more of a honey-ginger color.

Trieze looked back once more towards where his father was still deep in debate before he opened the wrought iron gate and followed after the bird's flight. He liked the hollow clomping of his formal boots on the wooden dock; it reminded him of a horse walking on cobblestones. Sunlight shone and glittered off of the delicate frame of a spider's web and Trieze crouched down to stare at the sinister occupant waiting at the center of its wheel-like world.

A small butterfly flew right past his head and straight into the sticky netting. He gasped as a sudden feeling of panic rushed through him – such a beautiful and harmless creature was about to be slain before his very eyes! Were he to try to pluck it free, he knew his blunt fingers would destroy its wings and end its life just as surely. The spider sprung half the distance to the thrashing insect and then slowly crept in to subdue its victim.

Just as the spiders legs were caressing its elongated body and preparing to strike out with its venous fangs – the butterfly broke the webbing and burst free. It left the web a tangle of sticky tendrils that clung to the former master that now spun indignantly like a pendulum beneath the ruin of its once well laid trap. Trieze grinned and followed the courageous fluttering insect as it made its way down the dock flying in jagged circles and random dips and dashes, _cutting a swathing path through the air_, the ice blue eyes on its brightly colored pale yellow wings flashing away in the sunlight.

Trieze had to stop at the end of the dock and was sad to watch it too dance away into the distance. He regarded the seemingly black water before him – the vast barrier enabling an easy escape for the subjects of his interest. There were ducks swimming along its surface and in front of him he caught the silver flashes of fish swimming beneath. He knelt down and then carefully lay on his stomach so as to try and avoid dirtying his cloths excessively before removing each of his white gloves.

There was a slight current he could feel to the cool water of the wide channel as he dragged his bare hands across its glassy surface. He wondered what it would be like to be surrounded by that sensation…

Fish knew…

Birds and Ducks knew…

…Why couldn't he?

Trieze looked around to see who was watching him…

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><p>Sir Godrick Trieze Khushrenada (the 8th) was beginning to wonder why he even bothered trying to converse with any of the other members of the Romefeller social club anymore,<p>

"What kind of a ridicules idea is _THAT_? Just because a person takes permanent residence in space does not change anything about the kind of human being they are! To say that _just_ because they are Colonists they are incapable of taking a rational approach to solving their own issues, or properly allocating the distribution of resources makes no sense at all! If anything the lack of investors willing to help expand the education available to –"

"Godrick, Trieze!" Sir Godrick turned to look confused at his wife, Alicia, who was quickly walking his way; Katrina Peacecraft, Queen of the Sanc Kingdom, trailing behind her.

"Yes?"

"GODRICK! TRIEZE!" she repeated with more force.

"What is it?" his confusion had only deepened.

"GODRICK! _**YOUR SON**_ TRIEZE!" Understanding dawned on the Duke as he glanced about the immediate vicinity.

"Oh! Right …where is he?" There was a distinct SPLASH from the waterfront. Sir Godrick turned to frown at the dock it had come from before spinning back to his wife, one hand pointing back towards it and his mouth already open to start forming the obvious question. "Was that…?"

"GO GET HIM!" Alicia was beyond hysterical from his complete calm. However her husband was hardly hesitant when he imminently leapt into action, literally, with a standing back flip clearing the four foot high wall and twisting mid-air to hit the ground running towards the dock where his only heir noisily floundered – but was hardly crying out for help.

Sir Godrick slid down on his knees at the end of the dock and smoothly hoisted his dripping son from the water in one motion.

"What exactly are you trying to accomplish, boy?" Godrick was still holding a slightly sputtering Trieze at eye level over the water by the back of his formal jacket and giving him a stern glare.

"I wanted… to swim?" Trieze knew he was hardly going to be in as much trouble as his father who'd been charged with his supervision, but was still surprised when a warm smile spread across the old soldier's face.

"I see, is that it? Well, then… start kicking…" Godrick lowered the boy back into the water. "Make sure your pushing _down_ on the water with your hands, don't pull yourself under…" Trieze tried to keep this in mind as he found himself struggling once more to keep his mouth and nose from flooding with the chilly water. "It's alright to take a good gasp with your mouth, but it helps to let your breath out slowly through your nose…"

Alicia, whom had breathed a sigh of relief when she had seen her son safely extracted, had spent a moment in utter shock when Godrick had put the boy BACK into the water. She had thrown decorum aside with her elegant heeled sandals and sprinted out to the dock to attempt to rescue the situation.

"GODRICK! What are you thinking! Don't drown our only son _IN PUBLIC_!" It didn't help that her husband was casually reclining on the dock as his son continued to fight to find the right rhythm that would keep him comfortably afloat.

"I'd hardly call it drowning, look dear! He's already getting the hang of it…" Trieze was able to finally propel himself up and grab onto the edge of the dock to catch his breath; a huge grin on his face, this had proved more fun then he thought it would!

Alicia crumpled to the deck with her face buried in her hands shaking her head.

"I swear you will never have chance to conceive again, if you don't stop acting insane right this instant."

That threat certainly made its point, as before it was finished being iterated, Trieze was back on the dock in front of his mother. Alicia could only sigh helplessly at the sheepish grins mirrored between her husband and young son before sending them off to see that Trieze got dried off.

Katrina Peacecraft came down to join her friend as the two boys disappeared through the garden.

"Well… that was certainly exciting…" Alicia rolled her eyes and extended one hand towards the wine glass Katrina was holding,

"May I see that a moment?"

"Why of course…" Katrina relinquished it to her and couldn't help but giggle when Alicia mimicked one of her husband's gestures of exasperation tipping her head back and allowing the entire contains of the glass to slide down her throat.

"Thank you… I could do with a few more as well… What was I _THINKING_ marrying that… lunatic! There is no other word for him!" The two noble women sat on the nearest wooden bench.

"If I recall the story my husband told me, you were thinking you were in love with him… were you wrong?" Alicia took a deep breath as she looked to the still spectacular stand-in ring on her finger – her real wedding ring, an ancient heirloom from when the Khushrenada's were known as the Khuβhrénir, was always kept safe in a vault in the inner sanctum of the family castle only to be worn to events of the utmost importance.

"Oh no… I was not wrong at all. The issue lies more in whether the things we love can really fulfill the duties society places upon us. In the case of my husband, it would be of no issue if it were not for the fear I have that our son will grow up confused. Godrick's sense of 'free will' hardly sets an appropriate example for him to follow." Katrina laughed,

"I'll admit any well-bred mother worries that her children will bring disgrace to their family due to their own lack of guidance… but just think of what is going on in the world today: will it be so bad for your Trieze to learn how to think for himself as your husband does? As much trouble as it brings… it is what brought about our own friendship. It is a pity that so many other nobles seem to be swaying to your brother-in-law's _theories_." Alicia swallowed hard.

"Let's not talk about _him._ He has been on Godrick's mind too much of late…"

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><p><strong>AC 195…<strong> _Trieze at the Romefeller shooting range whilst Zechs is giving him a report about the Gundam situation…_

Trieze had just loaded another five rounds into the bolt-action Mosin Nagant, German style with the steel parts mounted on a solid piece of wood; when he caught a flash of red disappear into the bush behind the set of targets that were slowly shifting through their paces. His eyes lit up as he brought the rifle to his shoulder… he was listening to Zechs, but he was entirely focused down range – it had been 19 years and that bird wasn't going to get away from him _**THIS**_ time. He steadied his breaths as his father had taught him and waited…

The report of the bullet being fired echoed across the grounds as a puff of feathers appeared where the bird had been flying a moment before.

"_Shoot 'em down, Zechs."_

Trieze had a wide grin across his face despite the fact that his short "vacation" would be ending in another day with his Uncle's return from touring his world-wide "investment portfolio"…

((SO now, start wondering about that crazy "religious" speech of his that Relena got upset at... now tack -Rick onto the end of "God"... hmm, far more interesting now isn't it?

Chapter 2 is gonna pick up in approximately AC 188… starting with why, OH WHY, Trieze ended up having to be sent to Public High School for Junior and Senior year… which is Milliardo's Freshmen and Sophomore years… and yeah… all that… I SWARE I'M PUTTING THE GUNDAM WING DVD IN NOW OK! OK! OK! MUST FINISH 'BY THE ROADWAY'!))


	3. Outside the Emerald Gates

HAI! Check profile for fun story about why everything has been delayed, also to make up for it I'm releasing THIS CHAPTER!

And the Halloween special (ASAP)! And then Chapter 9 (ASAP) and probably going to hold off and release 10, 11 and 12 ALL together, because you really want that whole chunk together and hopefully will leave off for a nice cliff hanger before the chapter 13 turning point (It IS a Trieze fic)…

As aforementioned _**this**_ fic is not really going to try to be staunch to cannon characterization as it does take place some time before ac195 and could be seen as more OOC – but the aim is to bring more life to them, not just bore people…. SOOOOO! To _get_ _OFF_ to a lively start… teehehehehe…

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><p><strong>Early Fall of AC 188… <strong>_(Trieze is approx.17; Milliardo is approx. 15 (age adjusted as per By The Roadway)) _

A young Milliardo was sitting straddling a stone bench hunched over his biology text book and notebook furiously scrawling away in his delicately looped and curved handwriting.

He had meant to get the assignment done the previous afternoon; however Trieze had left him stranded at the music conservatory without the heavy tome that Milliardo needed to complete it. It's weight wouldn't have seemed such an obstacle when he decided to leave it in his room if he'd considered for an instant that Trieze might loose track of a WHOLE THREE HOURS after his own practice session of the latest weapons style Sir Godrick had felt necessary for his son to master – Tai Chi.

Then again, who was he kidding? It was Trieze _**Khushrenada**_ after all!

Milliardo felt like a fool for having not taken the possibility into account and couldn't wait till he completed his drivers certification. At least when the two finally had gotten home in time for dinner, Trieze's mother Alicia made sure he had the number for the family's personal driver. The man rarely had anything to do since Trieze's mother had become increasingly reclusive over the years and never had any reason to leave the expansive grounds of the Khushrenada's primary estate.

All of this was not helping him come up with a cohesive description of cellular mitosis as well as the functions of the various "organs" of a cell.

The Kessel twin's shadows falling over his work ALSO did not help.

"Now what are we up to here, Milliard?"

"It looks like someone has got a lot of catching up to do before next period…"

Milliardo stopped trying to write and looked up at the girls through his long blond bangs that filtered out some of the sunlight that was glaring behind their backs. His blank stare was the only reaction he gave them.

"See that's interesting…"

"…Yes quite interesting indeed!"

"As we heard your brother was _quite busy_ yesterday afternoon…"

"…but not you…" The girls both gasped in unison and their eyes went wide with delight as they looked to each other with a fluttering of giggles, "OR were you?" the giggling continued on.

"What are you talking about?" Milliardo typically got headaches when ever the two were around; they consistently tried to dig into his past and their latest theories always became the focus of all gossip throughout the school.

"Well maybe if you don't know, you should ask your brother…"

Milliardo gave the other one a few moments but it seemed she was content this time to silently smile away,

"If you know, then why can't you two just tell me?"

"We could…"

"…We should!"

"Okay then we will," They paused for effect and were disappointed they couldn't get at least the slightest glimmer of apprehension from the stoic blond. "We were told…"

"…by a certain young _Russian_ lady…" the girls almost danced along with the singsong pronunciation,

"…of whom your brother has been seen spending quite a great deal of time conversing with of late. That…"

"…just the other afternoon: they had _relations._" The girl's eyebrows climbed over the last word to settle into a look of pure mischievous joy.

Milliardo was completely at a loss; this only further disappointed the two.

"Didn't you just say they've been spending time talking? Isn't that a relationship? Why do you two always have to make everything seem like it's the end of the world?"

One of them picked up his notebook and put it on the textbook before sitting where they had been resting; casually putting them both on top of his book bag on the ground. Milliardo had retreated towards the other end of the bench and swung his far leg back over meaning to get up but the other girl was blocking him. He let out a frustrated sigh accepting his trapped fate.

"Are you really that naive?"

The one beside him put a hand on each of his shoulders, her left arm draped across his back as her right gently pulled him a little closer as she leaned in to whisper in his ear…

…After hearing her words Milliardo immediately turned crimson and lunged through the gap between the two, haphazardly scoping up his things and stuffing them together – he would sort his school work out later: THIS required IMMEDIATE attention. He pulled out his phone and called the driver to pick him up _with all speed_.

* * *

><p>Trieze had been perplexed when he couldn't find Milliardo at the end of the school day. Hardly in a state to want to be bogged down with worry he simply figured his moody assumed-brother had taken the opportunity to rub in his displeasure at Trieze's "oversight" the previous day by arranging his own ride home.<p>

For Trieze, it had been more then worth it even if he had wrongly assumed there would be little consequence to his 'detour' after his practice session. He had indeed lost track of time not having expected to get _**so**_ caught up in his escapade and had to listen to Milliardo fret over his perfect class record the whole way home.

Turning into the long drive that lead through the woodlands and beyond to the castle; situated on a gently rising hill with it's back to a cliff over looking a lake; Trieze was sure the forlorn prince would get over it eventually.

He couldn't help reaching into the inside pocket of his school uniform's jacket to finger the souvenir from his "adventure" with a huge grin on his face – as much as he should hide it somewhere safe he just couldn't bare to let his prize out of reach!

Unfortunately, his relaxed state of mind meant he failed to notice that his father was sitting at the top of the front steps of the castle; his forehead against pommel of the ancient five foot great sword that had belonged to the original Godrick Khuβhrénir, as it rested sheathed in front of him. The appearance of the most prized possession of the extensive weapons collection that adorned the halls of the castle was _**not**_** a good sign ****at all**.

"Uh, father? What's the matter?" Sir Godrick did not look up from his bowed position and spoke in a measured tone of dead seriousness,

"Trieze Godrick. My son… my _only_ son… I ask you to answer me plainly, and shortly: Did you, or did you not? Commit an act of penetration…on a young lady's…anus."

Trieze could almost feel the tempered steel whooshing through his neck and the extreme vertigo that would most likely follow as his decapitated head tumbled, still conscious, back down the stone steps to roll away under the HVG.

"I…" He tried not to swallow too hard, "did."

His father's eyes opened; their deep blue fire burned with rage. His son's misconduct _**always**_ found a way to lead to his _own_ punishment, _usually_ simply in the form of his wife's denial of their otherwise nightly passions. No other torture could unsettle the retired soldier more; a tested fact as back in the day he had even spent a short time as a POW in the Congo during a failed strike against a local warlord as part of an international peace effort campaign launched by the Earth Sphere Alliance.

"In my office; RIGHT NOW."

Trieze knew better then to hesitate around his father's temper and broke into a full run up the last steps past the simmering warrior to go await his doom in the sound-proof study.

He heard stone pulverizing behind him and was sure either or both of the large stone hound statues that currently ornamented the sides of the doorway would be replaced in the next day or so – he wondered what his father would pick out this time…

* * *

><p>It was an extremely long wait once he reached the office. Since 14, Trieze had been enrolled in the Specials Academy (a specialized officers program for the Aristocratic Elite); he knew better then to take a seat and stood at perfect attention in front of the desk patiently waiting for it to be occupied.<p>

Sir Godrick might have decided that he'd rather his son a Mobile Suit 'Calvary' pilot then a ground infantry officer as he himself had been – but that didn't stop him from ensuring Trieze was signed up to take the Alliance's Mobile Suit _Infantry_ field training course as well. Otherwise Trieze would have been exempt from the grueling month long military survival training that _only_ took place during the winter session.

With the Alliance's expansion of the use of Mobile Suit units there was talk of re-naming and opening the exclusive Specials MS Calvary division up to non-Aristocrats provided they had the talent to show for it; the old soldier hardly wanted some young, no-title upstarts to ever have the edge on his son.

The door opened behind him and Trieze did his best not to flinch.

His father walked past him without a word and proceeded to review the files and papers that were covering his desk; slowly shifting them to their rightful homes and clearing his desk before he finally took a seat, straightened his jacket, cuffs and neck kerchief, settling back and looking at his son.

"Trieze, are you aware of the extremely precarious situation our family has been in for many years now?" Sir Godrick leaned forwards and folded his hands together lightly supporting his chin with his thumbs.

"Would you be referring to the fact that we've been known to support disarmament?"

"That is a very nice way to put it. Yes Trieze, _that_ among other things. So I pray you then tell me why?" Godrick opened his hands wide and stared down at his desk as if the motion would summon a crystal ball to appear and reveal the answer. "Why would you _**EVER**_ conduct yourself in such a way as to risk our _expulsion _from the foundation?" He regarded his son once more retracting his fingers into fists before settling into a resting position once more.

Trieze struggled to maintain a blank face. He knew that it certainly wasn't _appropriate_ what he'd done and considered that at worst **he **would be banned from attending all and any Romefeller functions – but it seemed unreasonable for it to escalate into effecting his whole family's reputation so severely. Other people had done far worse things without any repercussions!

"I thought I took adequate measures to insure it would not come to light…" Trieze suddenly wasn't sure why he was even having this conversation _at all_. Had something happened to Vita? There was nothing wrong with her that day at school; and he _had_ made sure to check (_very thoroughly_).

"Obviously those measures were hardly adequate as _**Milliardo**_ had to endure the _embarrassment _of being informed by two, _apparently quite 'gossipy',_ young ladies this afternoon. Your confidant apparently did not, or _could not_, resist **illuminating** the matter in such a way that _I do expect_," His father's fist hit the desk before pointing accusingly at the elegant gold and lacquer rotary telephone sitting upon it, eyes never leaving his son's and his tone freezing over as he continued, "**a call** from _said _young lady's _father_! IF I AM THAT LUCKY to have chance to settle this matter discretely! Otherwise I'm sure that my dear brother would be delighted to inform me personally; should I be requested to liquidate my shareholdings and withdraw from the Foundation! IN THAT **case** we shall be LUCKY if he allows us to remain **living** _in this estate_– or even on The Earth itself!"

"Father…" Trieze was at a loss for what he could even do now, how could a small trespass lead to such catastrophe? "I didn't realize that the Foundation would take such insult to actions committed privately and with no proof…" He trailed off at the look of disbelief growing on his father's vestige.

"You sodomized a women _of_ TITLE of whom you have yet made no intention to marry!"

Trieze tried to stand on some sort of ground that he hadn't acted completely irresponsibly; he had done quite a bit of research recently after all,

"By definition I hardly took any action that would spoil her virginity."

Strangely enough his father began to laugh; then smothered his face into his hands, elbows propped on the desk in front of him. It was a moment before Trieze realized that his father was in fact **crying**! – moisture still clung to the edges of his reddened eyes when he pulled his hands forwards to clasp them as if praying.

"We can not afford to give our enemies any excuses, do you understand that? It makes no difference how _far_ over the line you have crossed; simply crossing it is enough to cause a great deal of trouble for all of us. What disturbs me personally is your complete and utter disregard to the duty we _still_ owe to **our** King," the rare sight of tears suddenly made sense – nothing had broke his father's heart more then the Sank Kingdom's destruction, "It does not matter if he is younger then you, nor that we pretend he is someone else. Milliardo _Peacecraft_ is **your** Prince. As **my son **you owe him your loyalty and have a responsibility to look out for his best interests. You not only betrayed that, but did so in order to seek _your own pleasures_ at your families' disgrace."

Sir Godrick could only sigh heavily as his shaking head dropped once more to be supported by his hands. Not even 40 yet his still hansom face looked well over 50 at times.

"Obviously I wasn't thinking." Trieze's voice caught in his throat. He hated how slowly over the years it seemed his father lost that confident humor which he had once been so well known for. It had been replaced with sad, passive, _silence_ – a memorial to everything that could have been.

"Obviously," Sir Godrick rose from his luxurious leather chair to cross to the liquor cabinet. He didn't bother with the open wine bottle and waiting glass beside it; instead opened the hand-carved wooden doors to produce a short glass and a bottle of cheap Russian vodka that was usually hidden behind the more respectable vintage aged scotch and whiskey bottles he kept in case of visiting business associates,

"Take a seat boy," he filled the glass half way and emptied most of it in a single swig before filling it completely and replacing the bottle. Trieze situated himself in one of the high back chairs that faced the desk, his father sitting in the other now content to slowly sip at the crude distillation. "Explain it to me son: what was it that drove you to do this? Do you think you love this girl?"

"Maybe I do..?"

The older man sighed at that,

"No Trieze, you don't. Believe me, whatever your feelings; it is obvious this girl has no interest beyond the little world of social relations. Otherwise she would not have risked her own humiliation in the first _or second_ place; such is the way of small time thrill seekers. **It is true** that whatever I assert publicly; your mother _was not_ the first women I was ever with and she's always been aware of that. The life style of a soldier comes with its own set of traditions after all; I even had Russian lover myself once – still receive the occasional letter from time to time. None of that changed the way I felt about your mother. Not once did I let my lips so much as touch hers until I knew she would be mine and only mine, and ever since I have never found myself wanting for any other for it would not be the same at all. That is the way with Love, it inspires dedication in a way that simple lust or passion never can."

"I do care about her deeply though… I find myself constantly thinking of her and I don't think your right about her lacking interests. What I enjoy most is spending time just discussing ideas with her; she has an intriguing approach to analyzing the nature of human conflicts." Sir Godrick took a sip as he let his son speak his peace.

"Then why did it escalate beyond discussions? Or was this the product of some on going debate between you two?"

"I guess… you could say… that might have been it? We both just… wanted to be closer. I thought we could trust each other…"

"Ah I see, and that's how you ended up in her ass?" Sir Godrick did laugh this time.

Trieze couldn't help blushing hearing his father put it so casually,

"That… was not actually part of the original plan…"

"OH, really? Did _**she **_just happen to throw this idea out there at the last minute? For some reason that _does not_ seem likely to me…" Sir Godrick seemed to have recovered some of his former self, as well as some color that flushed back into his ashen face. He was giving his son a sly look using his elegantly forked brows to their fullest potential.

"Well… it might have, in fact, been something like that…" Trieze nervously ran a hand through his short honey-ginger hair and shifted in his seat.

"Go on…?" He couldn't help but enjoy seeing his boy squirm with obvious embarrassment.

"You see, we might have been engaged in certain…ways and she became a little… overwhelmed? …and heh …demanded I do something…else about it."

"Wait," Sir Godrick took another sip of his glass before setting it down besides him and leaning forwards, "Do you mean to try and tell me that you gave a woman cause to **demand **her ass be occupied with your shaft?"

Trieze was already in the grips of the shock from his father's initial tirade and at a loss as to how he should react to the sudden turn around,

"She wasn't _that_ specific, but in the end I …suppose I did." His father's eyes narrowed into suspicious slits,

"Exactly how many others have you sought to be 'closer' with?" Trieze looked taken aback,

"None! I swear _by our name_ this is the first time!" For some reason this continued to displease his father,

"Then what _precisely_ _did you do_ to bring about this reaction?"

Trieze stopped before floundering out an answer, why was his father so fixated on this detail of the event anyways? He couldn't help the suspicions creeping across his own features,

"…Why does that matter?"

Sir Godrick, caught, set himself back in the chair once more and threw a dismissive hand to one side as he gazed out into the non-existent distance.

"Obviously it does _not_ matter! You're mother may not have said it but I'm sure I'll find the bedroom door locked for the next week or more. You," he turned his attention back to his son, trying to keep him on his toes, "Are not to join us for dinner tonight – by her request. In fact you are to report to the kitchen as I've given the dinner staff a month long paid vacation starting **today**. I hope you don't disappoint us further with your new responsibilities."

Trieze's jaw dropped slack – dinner was no small preparation in the Khushrenada household.

"Furthermore, this girl has indeed proven herself to be someone you can NOT trust; you will NOT speak with her or even so much as _look at her_ should your paths happen to cross from now on. Harsh as it may seem now, it truly would be best for you both to put this behind you as quickly as possible. Also, you will not be returning to that school I've already withdrawn your enrollment." He rose and took his glass with him as he walked back around the desk to look out the window and survey the gardens below. "I shall let you know when I decide how to deal with completing your general education."

Trieze took the cue to stand and gave a crisp salute; there was no arguing with orders once they were given.

"Yes Sir, Understood."

The phone on the desk rang, the force rattling the receiver on its cradle.

Sir Godrick turned to look at it sharply; the tension that had dissipated from the room returning as quickly as the color leaving his face at the disruptive alarm. He emptied his glass in a single gulp as he took a seat at the desk and steeled his nerves before reaching out and removing the receiver to bring it to his ear.

"Godrick here."

There was an outwardly obvious wash of relief as he heard the man's first angry words come back over the line heavily laden with a Russian accent – it was indeed Vita's father and not his brother, Duke Dermail.

It seemed there was still hope for them yet.


	4. By The Cherry Tree

**By the Cherry Tree…**

Almost got away with no note this time… ::sigh:: ...go ahead and skip over it if ye like.

* * *

><p>((Hey! Guess who shows up in this chapter! ? ! ?<p>

…No… not Mudo (yet)… **ME**! sort of. So I figure here is a good place to point out this fact:

I started coming up with a lot of the ideas that have come to create these fanfictions about 8 years ago… The sequence of events as they are and the configuration of Original Characters WAS NOT the original "plan"; I'm not SO morbid as to WANT the fate that ends up befalling said namesake character of mine as "By The Roadway" reveals it to be:

**I ACTUALLY planned 8 years ago to NEVER publish a story that went into such dark place, HENCE why I started using Terra Khushrenada** **for a pen name.**

_The ORIGINAL story where Terra appeared was set after AC197 when a Mobile Suit Tournament is being held to "use up" the rest of the parts left over from the war as well as giving the numerous ex-pilots around the Earth Sphere something to ply their skills to. It started off with "Zech's Nightmare" where he dreams of being forced to cut his hair and then endure the resulting ridicule; before Noin drops an ice cube down his shirt to wake him up for the news report about the Tournament. The five Gundam Pilots, plus Zechs, Noin & others, end up meeting a mysterious (angst ridden) girl (who Trowa falls into a relationship with) that turns out to be the sister of Trieze Khushrenada. Of course sabotage and intrigue abound and by the final rounds it's no longer a polite contest but a desperate fight to stop the people who are trying to take over the world…_

…_I quickly came to respect (back then) the fact that the tale was way too "self-insertion" style and abandoned it as well as the various story lines that had her appearing and influencing throughout the main series, as (of course) it always caused Trieze to end up OOC. I could not let go of the idea of Trieze having a sister as it created the "something worth protecting" element that played so well into elaborating his character emotionally…_

…_and thus on the night of their parents murder she was no longer able to escape sharing their brutal fate anymore._

_It's a hard life to be one of my OC's! You should give them hugs for all I put them through sometimes!_

_There is a REALLY good lemon I'm still trying to find still with Zechs and 'Hikaru' (the OTHER Terra, who is more 'pacifistic') that was a "What if" type where the Sank Kingdom never fell and the world was peaceful_.))

* * *

><p>…<strong>Nuance Nuisances…<strong>

Trieze sighed heavily as he reviewed the large recipe book in front of him and checked it against the ingredients he had already collected. He'd set a few of the other dishes to cook and had an array of timers set to prevent loosing track of any of them. Even so he was sure there was no way he was going to be able to pull this off _every night _for a MONTH.

A golden filigree ring that looped through the end of a long braid of copper-brown hair fell between the page and his face.

Trieze looked up through his forked brow, un-amused: Terra Khushrenada was hanging upside down from one of the lights that illuminated the large kitchen.

Dressed casually in jeans and a tee, her bright green eyes filled with mischievous glee, she was quite the little sneak when it came down to it. Slipping in and out of formal wear in the blink of an eye and well acquainted with the various secret passages throughout their home; her parents gave up trying to contain their 'wild princess' at an early age. The only restraint that kept her playing along with the tedious formal exercises of the aristocratic life-style was her extremely long hair that required multiple servants to maintain – the length of her braid changing according to her plans as the hair that created it was typically doubled or even tripled up to prevent it dragging along behind the active little girl.

"What'cha cookin'?"

"**Your** dinner."

She disengaged from her perch and landed on the counter crouching over the book to survey it as well.

"I don't know if I want to eat that…" She enjoyed the twitch of frustration on her brother's face.

"Then don't, there's going to be plenty of other things. Mother likes it, and you know how father has been worried about her not eating enough."

"Well YEAH, but that's why it doesn't make any sense for him to make YOU cook it – it's not like it's going to taste right anyways…"

Trieze almost growled.

"If you're not going to help, why don't you just get out of here Terra?" She stood up indignantly and leapt down to the floor. With a twirl she leaned up against the near-by refrigerator.

"I don't know… why should I? I mean mother said since she isn't speaking to you that I don't have to speak to you _either_…" She stuck her nose in the air and crossed her arms over her chest.

Trieze stopped mixing the two bowls of ingredients to start the dish, and turned to look at Terra frowning,

"What do you mean she isn't speaking to me?"

"Well HAS she spoken to you yet?"

"No…"

"There you go! That's what I mean! She's awfully upset with you, Milliardo too, and FATHER says that next time…? …He's just going to kill you and give ME _**all**_ of your things **AND your name**! I'll get to cut my hair and pretend to be a boy and pilot Mobile Suits just like you were going to!"

As much as his sister's over exuberant nature usually made him laugh, the news of his mother's scorn over his recent actions hurt more then he expected it to. He turned back to his work trying to be even more diligent now so as not to prove his sister right about his culinary aptitude.

"What _**does**_ Milliardo have to be so upset about anyways…"

"Something about the Kessel twins telling the whole school about how he has some _asinine_ lover of his own…"

"Ah…" Trieze blushed; did Milliardo have to tell _everyone_ _everything_?

"**I** told him he shouldn't worry about it… but you know how he gets. You should _really _apologize to him."

"Is that why you're in here?"

"No…" The innocent trail-off told Trieze otherwise. While both Milliardo and Terra were schooled in sword-play as well (Terra was quite skilled even) neither was held to the over-kill measures of perfection, nor the extensive military education, Sir Godrick demanded of the son that would inherit his title. Therefore the two normally spent a lot of time together.

Trieze might have been bothered if it weren't for his memories of how things had been before the Sank Kingdom's fall – how seriously Milliardo took it when he would be asked to watch over his own sister, Relena… (('As far as Trieze knew' _so ppl aren't confused…_)) Trieze's father had only been able to save one of the two siblings before the Alliance forces began to level the capital city…

…He didn't mind sharing with his 'brother'.

* * *

><p><strong>THAT Brother…<strong>

Milliardo had refused to leave his room for any reason other then meals for the past three days. Trieze _had_ tried to apologize _several_ times but the prince's decimated self esteem would hear none of it.

The day had come for Sir Godrick to see that something was done to sort out the whole matter. He went to Milliardo's room carrying a large glossy paper bag of white flat boxes and knocked. It was six AM but even so Milliardo's melancholy voice responded almost imminently.

"Who is it?"

"Your guardian and humble servant, your majesty…"

Sir Godrick's formal deference's made him feel awkward at times, but the occasional reminder of his true status could be comforting …when it didn't fill him with a painful sense of loss. The door was quickly opened wide with an invitation to enter; the boy had already been awake,

"…I've carefully considered your concerns m'lord and seen that your enrollment has been withdrawn as well. It might be a little last minute considering your current disposition, but I feel it is important that you and Trieze continue your education as soon as possible. There is a different dress code at the institution you two will be attending …so I've acquired these for you." He handed over the shopping bag.

Milliardo took it over to his bed to see what the boxes contained. He was a little puzzled by what he found.

"Wait… exactly what kind of a school _**are**_ we being sent to?"

Sir Godrick coughed and shifted a little in his otherwise ridged attention stance.

"It would be the _local_ kind… I'm sure you're aware of some of the investment initiatives I'm trying to accomplish in the Colonies. I felt a more relaxed social environment might be beneficial to both of you boys right now. It would also be very helpful to give me a better understanding with which to compare the current resources available to students up there. Do you mind terribly, or would you rather I schedule more tutors here at home?"

Milliardo looked again at the wide-legged style blue jeans, white hoodie and white generic graphic tee complete with a pair of red-white Converse. He gave a heavy sigh,

"When will we have to leave?"

* * *

><p>…Trieze had not been awake yet when Sir Godrick visited his door.<p>

"FATHER this is absurd! I know you're upset, I know mother's upset, I KNOW _Milliardo_ is upset, but this is _entirely_ uncalled for!"

"Trieze! I will not have you growing up to be an Arrogant Arse like me! I wouldn't be able to stand being shown up by my own seed! A grudge against my own son would be a terrible thing indeed! If you ever want to have humility and understand **real people** you have to interact with them! Leave the fire-starting to my legacy, IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?" In response, Trieze slammed his bedroom door in his fathers face. "**O'Seven Hundred Ten I want you in that car**, with Milliardo **on your way to school** or so help me, Lords of Our Clan: I WILL _break _**every** **bone** in your_malingering_ body!"

Trieze was already adorning the cloths his father had brought, but the extremity of the threat almost gave him enough pause to _WANT _to test his old man's resolve.

Did he really care about Milliardo THAT much more…?

…**All Sir Godrick muttered as he stalked away from his son's door…?**

"What an idiot! Can't even see how to appreciate the opportunities I give him…"

* * *

><p>…'<strong>Like'…<strong>

At 7:05 AM Trieze was already in the HVG looking up the rout to the local high school when Milliardo came outside to join him.

He had to do a double take as the younger boy looked nothing like his normal self without the starched tailoring of the aristocratic class. Still he had tied his long hair back with a thin silk blue bow as Trieze's father usually did.

Then again he supposed he probably looked just as odd in his own blue shirt and jeans. He had pulled out an informal button up shirt and wore it open unable to tolerate the way he looked in the hooded zippered sweatshirt – but some how it did seem to work with Milliardo's lankier form…

…It wasn't long before the traffic thickened around them and they eventually found themselves parked outside Diekirch High, along with a mass of other students, teachers and parents.

"This is just absurd…" Trieze sighed looking around after he'd fetched his backpack and gotten out of his HVG.

"They said we're supposed to go to the main office to check in first… Trieze? _Are you coming_?"

Milliardo had started towards the building with his own pack slung over one shoulder, but stopped when he sensed he wasn't being followed.

Trieze was staring…

...watching…

…with his mouth _slightly_ slack…

…as a group of girls, wearing their cheer leading uniforms, got out of a rather pretentious mustang as well as a shiny truck parked next to it (both driven by rather athletic boys) and made their way, chattering excitedly, through the parking lot, towards the school. Their legs practically bare with only some of them wearing tights and the 'skirts' so short that they might as well have been considered pleated belts…

He did not miss the way the mustang driver's hand connected with the ass of one of the tallest, and prettiest, blonds; Eliciting a giggling squeal and provoking a rather graphic kiss before they parted ways.

"Yes… Yes, I am." The Cheshire cat would have been put to shame, "Father… I love you too."

* * *

><p><em><strong>"I see, is that it? Well, then… start kicking…" ~ Sir Godrick the Eighth ch2<strong>_ (((see what I mean about mirroring? ^_~)))

They found the principle's office easily enough.

The man greeted them with a restrained excitement that made it evident he was unsure of how to react to the two "guest" students. After the thorough inspection Trieze's father had given the entire school he was more then a little nervous about possibly offending the boys.

"…We really are so happy to have you two here. I know your father mentioned you needed a more relaxed education and I'm hoping that you'll enjoy attending our school."

Trieze still had a grin stretching from ear to ear, unable to get the image of the girls swaying pleats out of his head. Due to his sheltered upbringing he'd never actually seen a girl dress _that_ way except in pictures,

"I'm sure we will."

"I certainly wouldn't want to make you two late for your first classes, so here are your schedules, a map of the school, your locker information and the student handbook… I know it says that you must read it and hand in the last page signed, but most of the student's here ignore that completely anyways. I'm sure there's not going to be any issues with misbehavior from you two! We did our best to put you together in what classes we could, considering that you're at different age levels, and I included some information on the clubs we have available here after school. I'm sure they are nothing like the activity classes you're used to, but it will probably help you boys to find some friends here."

"I'm sure we'll be fine. Thank you." Milliardo resisted the urge to glare at Trieze.

"Well _best of luck_ to you two!"

The man's excitement hiding his fears for what the two would face once they began mingling with the rest of the schools population. Then again, rich kids always managed to be popular _somehow_.

In the stairwell down the hall from the office Milliardo, grabbed Trieze's arm and wrenched him around, his icy eyes piercing.

"Don't you DARE go and make yourself an embarrassment again."

Trieze indignantly yanked Milliardo's hand from his arm.

"I don't think you get it Milliardo, these people have no class and no titles, it's not like they have any _real importance_ in the world. _We_ can relax."

"Fine, whatever, but don't go ruining MY reputation, again, just for a bit of fun." Milliardo started up the steps two at a time.

* * *

><p>…<strong>First Period…<strong>

"Bonjour mon nom est Trieze, je parlent français, Je suis très heureux d'être à cette école. J'ai une plus jeune soeur, Terra, et vis dans le château au nord de la ville. Mon père est un Duc. C'est mon frère, il est un Marquis."

"Bonjour mon nom est Milliardo, je parlent français, Il fait très beau de vous rencontrer. Je vis avec Trieze et sa mère et père."

Mrs. Levét was bursting with joy at the absolute perfect fluency of her newest students. (((_I used Babel Fish, so not really_))) It was such a relief to hear after years of struggling with her own pupils… …whom of course were now in various states of catatonic trances at their desks…_as was typical _so early in the morning.

"Splendid! Excellent! Le plus merveilleux! Vous pouvez s'asseoir… Now I figured we would take it easy today and watch this video on Appellation d'origine contrôlée and the concept of 'terroir'…"

Trieze ended up sitting with the teacher at the front of the room a short while into the film. The two of them had quiet an extensive conversation (in French) about the various wine regions they had visited – Trieze's father of course having brought him along for the past few years whenever he took a tour to purchase fresh stocks for their own extensive cellar.

Milliardo was content to silently watch the film with the rest and started to take a look at the "unimportant" people around him.

* * *

><p>…<strong>Trieze's Second Period…<strong> History.

Mr. Santonia was a big man with a broad chest and substantial belly. He dressed impeccably each day in a three piece suit complete with fob watch. One day, he knew, each of his students would find that moment where they wished they had paid more attention to the innumerable lessons of the past.

"Alright! Today we have ourselves a very special new student joining us, Mr. Trieze. Would you perhaps like to introduce yourself and maybe tell us a little about your own history? If anyone has any questions they can get them out of the way so we can get back to immersing ourselves in the chronicles of humanity."

Trieze loved telling people about his history. He stood and walked to the front of the class, turning to survey his 'peers'.

"I am Trieze Godrick Khushrenada the Thirteenth. My father is a Duke who served in the Alliance Ground Infantry for six years before he retired to focus on investing in the development of the colonies and space transportation industries. My family has been a member of the Romefeller Foundation since its formation and I am currently enrolled in the Special's Mobile Suit Calvary Division."

There was a girl who was slouched low in her desk in the front row. Her light brown hair was dyed with blue streaks framing her face, her cloths were generally black consisting of laced and buckled knee high boots, a short black skirt, punk tee and black & hot-pink striped fingerless gloves that reached up most of her arms,

"So… basically… you're saying your dad was one of the guys who ordered the occupation of the Sank Kingdom?"

Trieze was not prepared for that and sputtered a moment before finding his words again,

"Exactly why would you assume something like that?"

The girl shrugged her shoulders, but hardly seemed willing to waste any effort,

"Everyone's heard that Romefeller paid for Heero Yuy's assassination, are you saying they _didn't_ want the Sank Kingdom out of the way too?" her stony accusing eyes never wavered.

"The Romefeller Foundation is a social club that serves as an investment platform and as a tradition based government for members of the elite class. I do not know where you are getting these ideas about hiring assassins. I'll excuse you for your ignorance this time, but my father was knighted by, and personal friend to, King Peacecraft and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't attempt to insult his honor in my presence."

"Then –"

The girl was cut off as a friend behind her, wearing a purple and green plaid skirt and a similar assortment of "metal" accessories, gave her a kick with her own platform and stiletto heel style black boots,

"Katja!"

"Fine… whatever…"

Katja's friend flashed Trieze a roll of her eyes before looking away and giving a bored sigh: _Yeah. I have to do that, A LOT._

* * *

><p>…<strong>Together in Gym Class…<strong>

Milliardo had been "bumped up" in a few of his classes to the Junior level. Meaning he was shorter then most of the other boys in the gym class he shared with Trieze on their _((oh what the hell))_"Omega" day schedule. On "Zeta" days Trieze was scheduled for Milliardo's Freshman level art class.

_((Like Yeah! of course I had to! _School wide vote after protests against the inequality of using Alpha and Beta SO the most popular "other letters" were "randomly" selected!

_Itz True. Itz Fact, _**I** _just wrote it.))_

They had packed two sets of gym cloths – one with knee length shorts and a short sleeve sports shirt, the other with longer track pants and a track jacket. Even though it looked like they were going to be indoors, unlike Trieze, Milliardo opted for wearing the track pants. He was rewarded for his instincts before they even got out of the locker room.

The two had opted for changing in the adjacent room to the main locker concourse with shower stalls on one side and on the other a few toilets, urinals and sinks with a mirror stretching above them.

"Hey, you ladies know the girl's locker room is next door, right?" It was the mustang driver with his trucker friend in tow.

Trieze's _blue eyes slid to the side to look at his prey from beneath their elegantly forked brows_ as he stood in front of the mirror. He had been preening his mane and fine tuning the forks of said elegant brow.

"Excuse me?"

"Look he even shaves like a girl!" Trucker boy was pointing at his bare lower legs and laughing cruelly. Trieze walked straight up to the two and with a dead serious glare,

"You wear formal attire for eight hours straight and then tell me how precious leg hair is to you."

"Oh yeah right, like I'd ever dress up like some _fairy_! What? You think you're tough or something just 'cuz you're daddy gave you some _shiny hummer_?"

"He didn't just give it to me, he had it custom built for my last birthday. _This_spring? He might acquire the new Aires Flight-Model Mobile Suit to go with our five Leo Ground-types… do you want to ask me again _then_?"

The two boys, whom were aware of the expense and firepower of the military machines, looked at each other caught off guard and backed away with mutterings about "stupid yuppie rich kids". Milliardo, sensing the danger had passed, came out of the shower stall he had deemed the cleanest.

"Speaking of your father… this place _really is_ absurd."

Trieze couldn't help laughing at that; _HIS_ instincts had at least been right about that… even if there were in fact _plenty _of things to make the absurdities worth it.

"Maybe you should have just braved the Kessel Twins' lies instead of holing up in your room, oh forlorn Prince. Then you could tell them all sorts of stories of your own about what a terrible place I was sent to as punishment for my misconduct."

"Heh, this school **does** seem like a prison in a lot of ways. I can't believe how slow the teaching pace is, we're spending a whole three days on the functions of a cell – I already wrote half of the report on transcription errors during cell division; and now the most the teacher wants is for us to just remember the order of the steps! It's no wonder 'the masses' never seem to have an original idea." Trieze tightened his jaw remembering his encounter the previous period.

"I wouldn't say that. Some girl already accused my father of sacking the Sank Kingdom… seems a rather original thought to me…"

"Strange… I'm not surprised." Milliardo was opening the door to the main gym.

"What exactly does THAT mean!" Trieze didn't get a chance to press him further as the coach was blowing the whistle for the class to congregate.

_That_ was actually a little bit of a surprise as well, they'd never seen such a man who _wasn't_. The coach, whom revealed after roll call that she preferred to be called "Coach", was a burly dark blond woman dressed in grey sweat pants and what could have been an _extra large_ purple tee-shirt that was still some how too small.

"As you all know we STILL have not gotten the 'pennies' back from the cleaners after someone decided to hide their pet 'weasels'…"

"…they were ferrets!" Coach rolled her eyes at the correction.

"…whatevers! …in the storage bags!" Trieze used his recently preened brow to its fullest extent as he and Milliardo exchanged looks before he had to put a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stifle his mirth. What had Milliardo been saying about unoriginality? No well bred person of distinction would have considered such an idea as that! "So we're going to be continuing our basketball tournament with "shirts" and "skins" on the nearer two courts. Ladies you can go ahead and set up on the next to last court to practice your free throws if you're still not interested in being competitive. Trieze, Milli, we have two people absent today so there's an opening on shirt team three and skins team four; you can sort it out between yourselves. And for the last time, I do NOT want to see balls being lobbed at the cheer team while they are trying to practice!"

That caused Trieze to look behind him to the furthest court where sure enough the girls from that morning, as well as a _good_ few more, were beginning their stretching routine.

"Why don't you go ahead and join team three… Milli."

Milliardo just sighed and muttered under his breath as he went to join up with the co-ed shirt team. The boys from before in the locker room had already striped their own shirts off; it seemed that they were both on team four. Trieze can only imagine what insults they were exchanging as he walked over to them, but he had plenty of time to play this little game out.

The mustang driver's girlfriend turned from her workout,

"Hey~ Good luck, Jason~!" She blew her boyfriend a kiss… before her expression went _slightly_ slack, "Oh my god…"

Trieze, who had been standing behind and to the side of 'Jason', had just removed his own shirt.

Compared to the shallow six pack and bulked arms of her boyfriend, Trieze looked like a chiseled roman statue; his pecks defined, his lower torso rippling and his own arms had the undulating curves of a fighter who spent a great deal of time training – which he did.

His deep blue eyes caught hers and she didn't even notice how red her boyfriend was turning as her friends caught on to the eye candy as well and started giggling with excitement.

Team four utterly crushed both of the other shirted teams that class – the rivalry between the boys to score the most points quickly gaining to a level of competition the rest of the students could not rise to…

Trieze did trip Jason when the teacher wasn't looking in order to allow Milliardo to get at least one shot against them…

…Whatever team he was playing for, and whatever people would say of him, he would never forget where his family's loyalties truly lay.

* * *

><p>…<strong>Milliardo's Fourth Period… Safety within Music…<strong>

Milliardo managed to throw himself out of the crushing stream of students when he spotted the hallway that ran behind the schools large auditorium stage. He took a moment to recover from being hustled along in the virtual stamped; it reminded him of watching sheep being herded to their pens.

This hallway, denoted as "the music wing", was surprisingly quiet and only a few people were hanging out in it along with the stacks of chairs, stands and various instruments (cased and uncased) that lined its edges. He found the heavy double doors that lead onto the stage and wondered what horrors he would find beyond.

The stage did seem to have a full complement of curtains, a good sign. The students were already seated in an orchestral arrangement on the stage, he spotted the teacher helping to restring a viola and decide he would take a seat in one of the spare chairs that were scattered apart from the main group. The teacher took attendance as soon as it seemed all the students that were in school that day had arrived.

"Okay… so it seems like we have a new student in the school…"

Katja, who was sitting with her forehead against her cello, groaned and looked around to spot the arrogant asshole from that morning's class.

"…Milliard Marquise, it says here you've spent quite some time studying the piano, would you like to play a sample for the group to introduce yourself?"

Milliardo stood and quietly walked over to the grand piano that was waiting at the edge of stage left. He sat very distinctly and ran his hands left and right on the keys to acclimate to the distance he had to work with.

He began with Chopin's Nocturne #2; its punctuated melancholy cadence had the quality of an old music box. Instead of following the transition into the more upbeat trend that introduced itself a few minutes into the piece, he switched tact's into a piece typically played by a cello – Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G major. He had been working on such stylistic transitions with his tutors at home.

The change had a profound effect intensifying the sorrowful reminiscing from that of a music box that had played itself out a thousand times over, into the pleading of a heart in the grips of being broken… the final notes were as if the crystal object had finally landed to spew forth and scatter into a pool of diamonds across a marble floor..._oh forlorn prince._

After the class was over Milliardo was hit with an extreme sense of déjà vu when he had swung only his left leg over the bench and two twin silhouettes were standing over him with the stage lights glaring behind their backs.

"OH MY GOD! THAT WAS AMAZING!"

His eyes adjusted and the details of the two girls became clear, he was suddenly more then a little embarrassed and unsure of what to do: Both girls were dressed primarily in black, with highlights of neon colors.

They were both wearing knee high-boots, one with buckles and laces the other platform heels; short skirts, one simple black, the other a green and purple plaid with fishnets; Their shirts were casual enough and one of them sported fingerless pink and black striped gloves that reached up to her elbows.

He hadn't been prepared to be addressed so directly by a pair of prostitutes and quickly cast his gaze to the side,

"Thank you, I'm glad that you appreciate it."

"My name is Katja, this is Samantha… I was actually wondering, would you be interested in joining the music club? It's after school today; we've been looking for some new talent!"

"I… uhh…" He had planned on looking into the club, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to be associated with such scantily clad girls… though he was sure _Trieze_ would agree in a heartbeat.

"See… when she says she wants you to join the music club, what she means is she wants to talk you into joining our band. You ever been a fan of Metal?"

"…Metal?" He couldn't help peaking up curiously at the girl who had been identified as Samantha.

"Yeah…! You play so _emotionally_ and that's what Heavy Metal is all about – conveying your emotions with music! What do you have next period?"

"Lunch I believe…"

The two girls looked at each other knowingly before Katja, the ever willing spokesperson, explained their concerns,

"Oh… you're probably better off sticking with us then. It's pretty 'cliquey' at this school – if your not careful people can give you a pretty miserable time… but don't worry, our group is pretty open minded and most of us are nice. You certainly don't need to be shy!"

"I don't mean to be rude but I really don't know if I'm comfortable with persons of your profession…"

"Huh? Our profession? What, you mean being in a Heavy Metal band?"

"Uh… no…" He glanced them both up and down meaningfully. Strangely, Samantha caught on first and started laughing,

"Oh my god… that's too funny… You transferred in from that rich school too, huh? My dad keeps telling me people are gonna think I'm a prostitute, but then again he just doesn't understand modern fashion. No, no this is just… kinda like our stage costumes; we're not WHORES or anything. **That** would be the cheerleaders and all their preppy friends."

Milliardo turned red and stood bowing apologetically to the girls who had been so kindly offering him their friendship,

"Please forgive me for my mistake, I really didn't mean to offend you… I just…" he was at a loss for what to say to make up for his error, but Katja and Samantha hardly seemed bothered.

"…Have honor? I get it; even if everyone thinks it's old fashioned! The Gothic style is all about old fashions…"

"Gothic style?"

"Oh~ man… We got a lot of work to do with you, huh…"

Milliardo let the two girls lead on.

* * *

><p>…<strong>Fifth Period Lunch…<strong>

Katja (with a few minor additions from Samantha) proceeded to give Milliardo a crash course on Heavy Metal, the recent social history of the school and how it relates to the various musical genres that students listen to.

It had his head swimming with the cascade of information.

Just as they were entering the large cafeteria, and passing below the stairway that lead down into it from the second floor, Katja was rudely interrupted by a decent quantity of milk spilling down over her head. She halted with an exasperated sigh and hardly needed to look up to identify the giggling culprits above.

"…And now you see what I mean. …YEAH! YOU BETTER RUN BEFORE I GO ALL CARRIE ON YOUR ASSES!" The small gaggle of cheerleaders dispersed with a great show of fake kisses all around as a few went to their classes and others proceeded into the large cafeteria that doubled as a student center. "Ugh! I hope Sandy grabbed a stack of napkins…" She took the handkerchief Milliardo offered and at least mopped up the extra fluid that clung to her shoulders and hair before giving it back with a sheepish smile. "…so do you think you can stay after?"

"I'd have to ask my brother since I can't drive myself yet." Milliardo was somewhat astonished how well the girl had recovered from the obvious insult. It seemed she wasn't kidding about things like that being a common occurrence here.

Katja stopped an wheeled around,

"Wait… how old **are** you?"

"15." Katja looked like she'd gotten her hopes up for nothing for some reason.

"Oh… huh, I thought you were more like 17."

Samantha was shaking her head, '_Of course you get ahead of yourself just cuz he looks pretty.'_

"Why, does that matter? How old are you?" Katja quickly went back to her high energy self.

"Oh no! It doesn't matter… You just act so mature is all, I'm 17, turning 18 in a few months."

"Well, well, well… what do we have here? You seem to have found your number one fan, Milliard."

The trio (which was just reaching the table pushed off into the corner of the room away from the others and hosted a mismatched assembly of characters) turned. Trieze had just crossed the room from the hallway where his Physics class was located.

"Trieze, do you think you could find something to do for three hours after school today?"

Katja and Samantha went wide-eyed, and Katja's jaw dropped to the floor.

"WAIT a minute! HE'S your brother? You don't even have the same last name!"

Trieze, smiling warmly, put an arm around Milliard's shoulders,

"Not really, but close enough. He does live with me."

The two girls exchanged look and Katja sighed with understanding,

"Oh… I see… 'Brothers' it makes sense now…" Trieze frowned, not following.

"What do you see…?"

Katja rolled her eyes before putting her own arm around Samantha's shoulder and leaning almost provocatively against her,

"Ye know, like if we said we were 'Sisters'…" Both boys imminently took a step apart.

"Oh no, no…"

"No not like that… you see uh," Trieze scrambled for an explanation that didn't include adopting the prince of the Sank Kingdom, "…my father had a mistress." He put on a very serious expression, "It's really something we're not ever allowed to talk about…"

Milliardo next to him was glaring, slack jawed with abject hatred.

The FIRST day wasn't even over and WHAT did Trieze go and do? …Tell the first "friends" he had made that he was in fact the bastard son of his father's mistress.

However, Trieze's explanation also covered the outward emotions Milliard was expressing at the moment (they even gave the story more credence) and the two girls unquestioningly accepted the lie.

Katja was confused when Trieze handed her a stack of napkins he'd been carrying,

"Huh? What's this for…? Oh." She had almost forgotten about her soggy hair and cloths. It took her a moment or two to begrudgingly add, "Thanks."

"It seems you're very popular around here." Trieze sensing that he was in trouble with his 'brother' again decided he should try and make it up to him as quickly as possible.

Katja laughed in his face.

"Popular? I think Casey Cassidy, ye know the blond bitch who dumped that milk on me and just lives to make everyone miserable; JUST cuz they aren't always screwing some jock? Would have a lot of issues with that assessment of yours, SHE'S the popular one."

_(((hey, guys, females, readers, what-evers, I'm going to save describing this whole group they sit with at lunch and who they all are a different "day" so don't feel gypped of the "experience"… For me I never know people till the second or third time I meet them anyways… so this is kinda with that idea of Milliard and Trieze don't really know them either so they wouldn't really be able to tell you much.)))_

It was obvious that if it weren't for Milliardo, Katja would have had Trieze driven from the table.

Her non-verbal communications showing her distaste for the "stuck up aristocrat" as much as her words. It was a convenient relief for the two boys; even if Trieze hadn't had Katja's debriefing on the social strata of the school, he could tell just by looking across at the various groups that collected at the tables, that it would have been a hard task indeed to just PICK one.

"Well…" He gave a sigh after returning from dropping off his and Milliardo's garbage (they had packed lunch, Trieze had been worried at what would be offered – another ten points for his instinct.) "I think I'm just going to brush my teeth and head up to Math early…if that's alright with you Milliard" It was another class they shared.

Katja had not missed a single opportunity to jump on anything Trieze said, just as Samantha hadn't missed a chance to roll her eyes and look embarrassed that her friend didn't know when to quit.

"You're going to brush your teeth during school?"

Trieze, who had actually started to enjoy her adversarial attitude now that it wasn't focused on insulting his family, laughed lightly,

"Why is that so strange? I like taking care of myself." He flipped open the small black travel case which contained a variety of tools he used to maintain his appearance including an extending tooth brush. That was only more of a reason for her to shake her head disbelieving.

"I have NEVER met someone THAT metro."

"Metro?" he asked standing to leave.

"Metro-sexual: acts completely gay but is still attracted to women… mostly."

"Huh…" he went off to take care of his obsessive habit and let Milliard have his friends to himself.

In the bathroom…

…it wasn't long before the door swung open and some one entered the otherwise unoccupied room. ((…_ye know I'm up to something!_))

Trieze was a little surprised to see it was the tall pretty blond whom the Mustang driver had put a claim on and Katja had given the name "Casey Cassidy". He had to do a double take checking that he was in fact in the men's room with urinals and hadn't accidentally chosen the wrong door.

"I'm not sure you're supposed to be in here…" The girl was advancing on him with a mischievous look.

"No, but like, Jason was saying your family owns like Five Mobile Suits… Is that like, true?"

Trieze was growing a mischievous look of his own as he read the various signals the girl was giving off,

"Why yes, it is…"

She stopped only a foot or two from him, looking up at him through her batting lashes,

"Wow… your family must be like, super rich."

"My father does hold the title of Duke…" The girl leaned back a bit, the movement accentuating her oversized breasts, before she moved in to finger the edge of his open buttoned shirt.

"Hmm, I was wondering if you like, wanted to hang out after school today…" Trieze raised his eyebrows, while he was all for getting close to girls it was throwing him off how much this girl was coming on to him – it almost made him nervous! …but only _almost_.

"Really? Wouldn't 'Jason' have some objections to this?"

"Well like, he wanted me to come in here and see if you were really gay." The overuse of the word "like" was emerging as a persistent trend.

"Ah… I see. That's an awfully big risk for him to take… it almost would seem like he doesn't really care about you." Her eyes lit up.

"Oh? Is it a risk?"

She tossed her hair back over her shoulder and without a second's hesitation took hold of both sides of his open shirt and pushed herself up on her toes to connect with his lips.

Despite the unexpected taste of menthol (from chewing gum) and overpowering 'hickory' smoked flavor (from smoking cigarettes) Trieze certainly was NOT going to let his sexual orientation be misunderstood. He wrapped his own arms around her waist and swung her gently around and up against the wall in between the sinks to give her a better understand of just how "not gay" he was. He withdrew when his caressing hands finally elicited a low moan from the girl and moved to exit the scene throwing a,

"I'll see you later. I have three hours to kill after classes, just meet me by my car." …Over his shoulder leaving her behind, breathless.

Trieze had a huge grin on his face that made Milliardo (who had not noticed the girl sneak in after his brother) bury his face in his hand.

"What have you done?" Trieze continued to beam innocently,

"Nothing, nothing at all… I just found something to do while your hanging out with your friends is all." The bell rang signaling the end of the period.

The masses of students began to mobilize for the shift change.

Katja and Samantha hurried to get to their next class calling back to Milliard:

"Ok! See you later! We'll meet you by the Cherry Tree…"


	5. ConceitedSubterfuge

****Conceited Subterfuge****

((Collapsed... cuz I'm almost done with the next chapter to post...))

(((UGH! Can NOT wait till I actually get to the part where Nitroglycerine Mudo shows up in this fanfiction, or more Sir Godrick! Teehehe, just wait, don't even guess, it gets better. Look for ** in the story for what this refers to: **hey Twilight, just try and beat this with your silver Volvo and be-sparkled silicon-infused driver. =P and why Gundams are such scary powerful machines...**

POSTED NEW FIC! because I had too. =D "**Six Hundred and Sixty Six"**! The 666th Gundam Wing Crossover fanfiction! And my 6th posted story! I so win. ::does a dance:: _for now _it's just a short-short (666 words) about what happened to Julia.

Though I had to cut off "there" on "that chapter" cuz the rest of that scene isn't _supposed_ to be THAT _funny_... It's _supposed_ to be _romantic!_ LoL hint. And I've started writing the real ch9 (Altron vs. Wing Zero vs. Too-Many-MD) and ch10 (Epyon & Tallgeese 2 in LUX). Not going to do them in parts (yay right?) because you really need the whole chapter perspective for THAT stuff cuz it's intense as all hell, so it's _still _gonna take awhile unless the typing bug really bites.

also; had to run a pair of coyotes out of my neighbors yard at 5am night before last with my 'big' dog (not puppy)... same SOBs that were following me a few months back when I had to ditch my car during the freak October snow storm... awesome way to start the day. Then again last night around 2am they showed up again & hung around a few hours... really starting to push it, literally. Bet a potato cannon would make 'em sorry.

This might make you wonder when I sleep... well I don't. Probably why I have so much trouble writing big sections...huh...)))

P.s. Happy Valentines Day Readerifics! It's Sexy Time!…I already warned ye! ….and you might notice some 'altered details', like the school's name, that don't match previous chapters... I'llllll fix that umm... later... some time... I hope.

* * *

><p><em>...After School 'Activities'...<em>

"I don't even want to know…" was all Milliardo said as the two parted ways at the Cherry Tree in the courtyard.

Trieze couldn't help smiling when he spotted not only Casey Cassidy, but also Jason with his trucker lackey in tow by the HVG. The boy certainly didn't seem happy.

"Well I don't know Jason! Why don't you and Kevin like, piss off? You wanted me to find out so like, that's what I'm gonna do. Maybe you should have just kept your stupid mouth shut."

Jason almost stormed off to his car, except he caught sight of Trieze approaching and sneered. He took his key out of his pocket,

"Hey rich boy! How'd ye like this…?" It was obvious what he was about to do…

…even then it only made Trieze smile more.

There was a terrible screeching as Jason dragged the key across the surface of the HVG's shiny outer coating again and again – attempting to scratch the paint and disfigure it's perfect unbroken golden sheen with detail accents of metallic blue.

Trieze Khushrenada was still grinning ear to ear when he stopped just a few feet away from where Jason was staring, utterly baffled at the complete futility of his attempts,

"Yeah… that would be, _like,_ Gundamium and poly-carbonite enamel. A direct hit from a mortar shell wouldn't even put a scratch on it; I don't think that measly key of yours is going to do much better. Like I was telling you… My father had it custom built…to military standards." He couldn't help mimicking the blond girl a little.

Casey was running her hand over the surface where Jason had been making his attempts; it was obvious she was impressed with the fancy toy.

'_Just wait till you see the rest…'_ was all Trieze could think. ^_^

Jason with a huge show of his anger and frustration stomped off to his own car, not even waiting for 'his truck' to take the lead, revving up the engine and tearing out of the school's lot in a cloud of tire smoke.

Kevin watched his friend go and after a look back at Casey and Trieze, he couldn't help laughing and shaking his head,

"You're a crazy ass motherfucker, you know that?"

At the time while Kevin proceeded to get in his truck and take his time picking out a CD before hitting the road, Trieze assumed it to be another low-class insult.

Later when he would look back on the moment, he'd realize that it was in fact one of the best compliments he could have been given – For it really meant he was every bit his father's son.

"Well… what now?" Trieze turned to his date for the next three hours.

"Hm, well no one is going to be like, at my house… we could go there?" Trieze raised his eyebrows.

"You're house? Wouldn't your parents have some… objections to that?"

Casey laughed,

"They aren't home, and like, probably won't be for a while. Why would you care if they like, object or not?"

She had moved right up against Trieze and was staring up at him through her lashes.

"You'll have to forgive me, the world I come from works a bit differently. Is it usual for students to invite others to their home so casually here?"

"Well like, yeah! That's kinda all people do, either hang out at each others house or like, go hang out around town and like, go shopping." She started playing with the edge of his unbuttoned shirt, "Your family sounds like they're really strict, I'm surprised that your dad let you come here."

((((_Is it starting to hurt you too? Why did I have to make her _like_…GAHHH! ::Beats self over head::_ ))))

Trieze couldn't help grinning at that,

"Actually, he forced me too – it's quite an interesting story… maybe I can… show you how it happened?" Casey's eyes lit up catching onto his drift immediately.

"Oh yeah? Why… were you like, too naughty for the proper girls?" Trieze could tell she really enjoyed saying that.

"_Way_ too naughty…" He gave her a wink. "…want to go find out?"

Casey skipped around and got in the passenger side as Trieze got into the oversized bucket seat that served as a driver's seat and they headed off to her house.

The HVG:  
>...was modeled after a(n original) Hummer's outer design, but instead of an engine it was given a compacted version of the Leo's reactor. In order to do this many of the parts that were involved in delivering the power to the wheels were machined out of Gundamium Alloy, including the frame and outer body work.<p>

Limiters removed, the speeds the vehicle could reach were entirely dependent on the ability of the four tires and rear compressor boosters to propel it in a forwards direction. The only draw back being that the vehicle's ability to alter its direction once it accelerated over the speed range of normal automotives was exactly ZERO – Trieze was still attempting to develop a viable solution. Its towing abilities were equally uncapped as it was designed to be able to be linked into the main reactor of a Mobile Suit on the matching towing bed to give it enough power to shift the massive machine.

The interior featured a windshield that had built in heads up display and touch screen interface on the side windows. There was a separate screen that emerged from the dashboard and swung out to be in easy reach of the driver to make out-put adjustments and access it's various other on-board features. From the sides of the driver's seat, with the flip of a switch, Mobile Suit style stick controls could extend as the wheel retracts and allow for fine tuned control over the power delivery and steering. ((I'm thinking closer to Wing Gundam's set up in 'flight mode'; over head, ye know?)) Later this extra set of controls would be essential to the upgrades the ground vehicle would receive. ((Ch3 of BTRw is where this comes up again.))

Casey now seemed almost awestruck by the impressive display of wealth.

"This thing is _huge_, how much did it cost?"

"…Around the same as a Mobile Suit with of all the Gundamium parts, so approximately… six billion." Her eyes went wide.

"Your dad like, _gave_ you a_ six billion dollar_ car for like, your **birthday**?"

Trieze laughed and shrugged,

"…Why not? He wants me to be a Mobile Suit pilot and has a very firm belief in self-sufficiency – It's designed to be able to tow a MS for ground transport."

"So you like, actually know how to _use_ those Leo's, huh?"

Trieze grinned over at her,

"Oh I think you'll find I know how to use a LOT more then just those Leo's…" She giggled and went into her purse to pull out a pack of cigarettes. "…though I'd prefer if you didn't smoke in here, the upholstery and all?"

"Oh, sorry." She put them away. "Oh turn there on the left, that's like my street."

They were soon parked outside a small (to Trieze very small) mansion, with a well groomed lawn and water fountain in the circle drive. Trieze let Casey lead the way in…

"Your not like, hungry or anything are you?" they were in the kitchen, Trieze was looking around the place with interest – he'd never seen a 'home' kitchen before and liked the way it seemed more like a living room then the culinary laboratories of the catering sized kitchens in his own home.

"Not really, our lunch period was just an hour or so ago. Would you like anything? I'm not in any hurry…"

She had her back to him as she poured out a glass of orange juice from the refrigerator.

"I don't really like eating much, it's too easy to let yourself like, go." Trieze cautiously moved in closer behind her and slipped a hand onto her hip, she automatically leaned back into his chest as she finished the glass. Still leaning into him she turned to stare at him up through her eyelashes and put the glass down, "So do you want to like, see my room?"

Trieze grinned and gave a quick raise of his eyebrows holding back his reply of: _If it means you'll stop talking? _**Like**_, Yes!_

It was **very** pink.

Achieving a level of coordination that would make even his father shudder in disgust and ordered it burned.

Casey jumped onto her double sized bed and propped herself up on her elbows with her feet kicked up in the air.

"So... Let's hear it... How did such a _nice_ boy like you end up going to Diekirch High?"

"Well..." he moved over and sat down on the edge leaning back to be supported by his right arm, his hand resting less then a foot from her hip. She rolled to the side so she could continue to gaze at him with that attempt at looking sly but falling short into exaggerated simpering. "...you see there was this girl..."

She raised her eyebrows.

"Like, just the one?" Trieze couldn't help but scoff at her surprise.

"_Proper _ladies are not allowed to..." He leaned forwards shifting from his right to his left arm. "...be so..." Using the freed arm to reach out to stroke the line of her cheek before dropping to pinch the edge of her v-neck and run down one side, his thumb nail running over the soft mound of her large breast and catching to tug gently at it's pit. "...forward with themselves." Casey swelled at his touch and he could hear her take a little gasp of air.

"Oh? And what about like, _proper_ gentlemen?" She moved closer so her hand could slip over his nearer thigh and corner his swelling length against the other. Trieze could help chuckling, in some ways he was amazed at how easy this was after the weeks of wooing Vita – almost too easy...

"The rules are a bit...different I guess you could say..." He couldn't help noticing that the tight elasticity material was all that was suspending the two malleable mountains. "I mean... there are certain... rules that still need to be followed..." she had started to run the back of her fingers up and down the hardening flesh.

"Oh yeah? Like what kind of rules...?" Trieze was drawn in towards her lips, mostly because the closer he got the better view he had of what lay beneath the thin veneer, he made sure to linger as long as possible just out of their reach.

"Little things..." he couldn't help dropping his hand down to run up her inner thigh to slip under her panties as he gave in and connected with her moistened lips. "...I'm sure we can make do though... somehow..." he was grinning widely as she desperately pulled him towards her and drowned her moan in his mouth as he felt a rush of wetness flow over her clit gently caught in between two of his fingers that continued to rub along its nubby length.

* * *

><p>...About an hour later Trieze turned off the shower in the hallway bathroom and wrapped the towel around his waist after drying off his hair and body. He took a moment or two to rake his hair back into position before exiting out into the hallway.<p>

A large dark haired man dressed in a business suit was standing at Casey's door and proceeded to gawk at Trieze standing practically naked before him.

"Hello. Trieze Godrick Khushrenada the Thirteenth," He took the stunned man by the hand and shook it with a warm smile on his own face. "Lovely house you have here, it was very nice of your daughter to invite me. I really enjoyed my stay." he walked past him into Casey's room where she stood paralyzed with shock at his demeanor. He just shut the door, as if oblivious, so he could proceed to recollect his cloths and get dressed.

Outside her father twitched a few times before simply giving up and going back down to the living room to watch TV.

* * *

><p>Milliardo looked up from watching Katja and her band 'practice' on the auditorium stage when Trieze sat himself down in one of the seats next to him nearly an hour an a half early.<p>

"Where have you been?"

Trieze smiled innocently back,

"I thought you didn't want to know?" Milliardo turned back to the stage and sighed heavily.

"I think I can guess... How was 'Casey Cassidy'?"

Trieze looked over sharply at him frowning,

"Wait... How do you know about that **already**?"

"Katja and Samantha noticed you guys drive off."

Trieze settled back with his arms resting over his head.

"Well... wasn't really that exciting... I mean... compared to this entertainment you've found here?" Trieze was starting to laugh as the group on stage continued to produce a dastardly cacophony with three guitars and a set of drums. Milliardo coughed trying not to do the same.

"It's supposed to be something called... Metal?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>I want to be a _..._!<strong> ^_^ _

..._lunch the next day..._

"Um... Excuse ME? What the hell do you think _your_ doing?"

Katja was tapping one foot with her arms crossed over her chest blocking Trieze's approach of the table. He innocently spread his arms in a gesture of peace.

"I beg your pardon?" he didn't miss the fact that Milliardo, already sitting next to Samantha, pretended to ignore the transpiring exchange.

"You heard me! Go, get lost before your girlfriend decides to come over here!" He continued to act confused.

"_My_ girlfriend? I could hardly say I have been here long enough to be calling anyone _my_ friend." Katja rolled her eyes.

"Ohhh... sure, just long enough to hook up with Cassidy, huh?"

Trieze brought a hand to his chin cocking his head to the side looking thoughtful,

"Oh, yes... that would seem to be the case now, isn't it? Then again," he smiled now giving Katja a look that had been a Khushrenada signature for centuries, "Was it not yourself that said such a thing is typical of her nature? I hardly see what difference it makes..." Katja's jaw had dropped.

"Difference? Your dating a bubblegum pep-rally hell spawn! Go sit with _her_ friends, don't attract them over here!"

Trieze was back to looking very confused,

"Dating?" he laughed dismissively, "I am afraid your mistaken, no such arrangement has been agreed upon."

"Oh really? I don't think that's what – ugh, too late."

Casey had come up with friends in tow,

"Trieze! Like, what are you doing over here?"

Katja couldn't help grumbling under her breath '_That's what I was just asking...' _She frowned at the wink Trieze gave her before turning around smiling.

"I was just talking to my good friend Katja here... did you need anything?" Casey gave Katja and the group behind her a disgusted look.

"Yeah, I was like wondering when you were going to like, come sit down? I mean like my _boyfriend_ isn't about to sit with the _Loser_ crew, is he?" She put her hands on her hips almost mimicking Katja's own impatient stance.

"Ah... that word again... See I am afraid there is some sort of misunderstanding... I don't recall agreeing to any sort of on going contract of a binding nature."

It was Cassidy's turn to drop her jaw at him.

"But...? What!" Looking flustered she glanced to the girls backing her on either side, they were starting giggle making her cheeks flush with heat, "You like go and shake my dad's hand after putting it up my ass and then have the nerve to tell ME that we AREN'T like going out? How you like, dare!"

Milliardo had put his head down on the table to bury it in shame under his folded arms; Samantha was patting him on the back consolingly. Both discretely and not, others near by were starting to laugh. Trieze miraculously maintained an entirely straight face, not flinching in the slightest.

"Well, yes I do remember introducing myself, but you see these 'losers' as you coin them seem to be very accepting of my younger brother Milliardo here," He put a hand on Milliardo's shoulder to accentuate his point; causing him to flinch at the touch, "As it is my responsibility to look out for him and his best interests I guess that would mean that... yes, I would like to be a 'Loser' as well. I indeed enjoyed our time together yesterday, do not mistake me... but I find this group to be quite... inspiring. I think I would like to stay here with them. Is that... alright with you?"

He was smiling widely as Milliardo was now gawking up at him and twitching slightly, dying with disbelief. Samantha sighed as a bead of sweat traced down the side of her forehead, she upped the pity level to 'consoling head pat'. Casey Cassidy let out a frustrated shriek at the gails of laughter starting to echo through the large room as the exchange was relayed from group to group; turning on heel and shoving through the group of laughing 'BBFs' behind her. With her now gone he turned once again to grin at Katja.

"Wait... you met her _dad?_ And he didn't kill you on sight?" he shrugged.

"I don't see any reason why he would..." Katja started laughing hysterically now.

"Her _ASS_? Maybe? That... that..." She took a moment to recover her breath, "That is just TOO much!"

Trieze couldn't help laughing himself lightly,

"So... now that is sorted out... everything is how it should be, right?" He sidestepped around her to move towards the empty seat next to Samantha, but Katja caught the back of his shirt.

"OH no... no, no, no... you see it doesn't work like THAT Mr. Turncoat... I think we're going to need to see... a little show of commitment if your going to be sitting with OUR group."

Trieze looked back at her frowning,

"Like what?"

Her evil grin that spread from ear to ear as she looked him up and down had him raising an elegant eyebrow in worry...

* * *

><p>Katja, Samantha and Milliardo were enjoying the fall weather in the courtyard after school that day,<p>

"So Milliardo... do they like... make you live in a closet under the stairs or something?"

"What do you mean?" He didn't get the reference.

"The Khushrenada's, I mean do you get treated second rate to Trieze just because... you know..?"

Milliardo's face flushed with heat remembering what Trieze had told the two about his 'past'.

"No, it's not like that at all. I don't know why Trieze said that. My parents... they..." He shook his head unable to figure out how to explain it all, or even if he should, "...it doesn't matter. The Khushrenada's have been kind enough taking me in... I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh... I'm sorry..." The two girls exchanged a concerned look...

Carrying a large hard case full of fencing foils and sabers along with a duffel bag full of his pads and other training equipment, Trieze boldly approached the Cherry tree in the courtyard where they were waiting. At least today he'd already secured himself the captaincy of the slipshod 'team' that claimed to practice the art of fencing in representation of Diekirch High; surely he would be able to handle whatever this 'Katja' girl had in mind.

"Where, my dear elegant ladies of darkness, are we to go?" Trieze struck a pose leaning on the long, hard case resting on end in front of him, with his duffel bag next to it under one foot. They didn't seem impressed.

"Well, have you ever heard of 'the mall'? 'cause Milliard hasn't."

"I believe my father has mentioned them before... it's a type of shopping multi-center, correct?"

"That would be the place! So, _driver_, why don't you get your luggage in the back of that oversized gas guzzling monstrosity of yours and we'll be on our way!" Katja had hopped up and started walking to the student parking lot, Samantha automatically following.

"Gas guzzling? _Monstrosity_?" picking back up his case and bag he looked to Milliardo offended.

"She hates hummers." is all he offered in explanation, leading the way after the girls as Trieze scoffed.

"And she calls me presumptuous..!" He double timed it to catch up with Katja. "Wait a minute now, why exactly do we need to go to a mall?" They had reached the HVG.

"Not 'a', 'The Mall' and if you want to be a part of our group, stop asking questions and you'll find out soon enough." Katja stopped outside the passenger door tapping her foot. Trieze eyed her suspiciously but slowly, a smile grew as he sized the two girls up.

"Alright, I'll play along with your little games but Samantha gets the passenger seat..." He took his time circling to the back of the HVG to open the trunk to slide his baggage in. "...any thing you would like to stow?"

Milliardo casually tossed his backpack in before he offered a hand to take the girls' as well.

"Naw, that's okay I'll keep mine with me." Katja clutched the one strap slung over her shoulder possessively; Samantha, blushing at having been chosen for the front, handed hers off to Milliard.

"...actually I'd rather sit in the back, if that's okay?"

Trieze shrugged the rejection off, closing the back hatch and going around to the driver's seat,

"As you wish, there is plenty of room after all..." he got in not bothering to unlock the rest of the doors.

**Milliardo slid his thumb along the 'handle' of the back passenger's door activating the touch pad beneath it; literally crafted _into_ the solid Gundamium door using the altered magnetic/conductive properties of the alloy impregnated with impurities to form the molecular structure into the necessary circuitry and micro-processors to charge the enamel surface above with a subtle glow, clearly framing each key site.

He hit 'open' and slight currents retracted the door's five vault-like internal pistons by fluctuating the superconductive properties infused into the metallurgy which encased the fitted Gundamium shafts; the similarly power-assisted hinge reacted to the sensitized surface as the molecular programming allowed it to follow his hand as if magnetized to his fingers.

"Okay; that's not excessive or any... Oh my goat! Does it stop?" Katja had tried to seem unenamored with the elaborate mechanism, but climbing in and looking around the interior made her suddenly feel like she'd just entered an alien spacecraft.

Smirking, Trieze waited a moment after the door shut with his eyes still closed and head half bowed... before he frowned and looked up in the rear-view mirror – Milliardo was sitting on the second bench row back between the two girls.

"Wh... You're not going to sit up here _either_?"

"You didn't want me to." Milliardo shrugged with his seat belt already on, stretching his legs and folding his arms behind his head; There _was _plenty of room in the back even with three people.

Trieze grumbled enviously as he put on his own five-point restraint and brought the systems online.

"Wow, I bet all these extras almost make it worth the 8 miles per gallon."

"It doesn't run on _gallons,_ dear lady. See?" He flipped up the easy access panel out and with a few taps brought up the schematics of the vehicle they were in on the front windshield, then with a flick sliding the image across to the rear driver's side window next to her. "The main power cell is a scaled back version of those used in Mobile Suits, which themselves are reduced forms of the power reactors developed for the colonies. Leo's need theirs replaced every 20 years, but compared to their power consumption this core hardly exerts itself... might last fifty? Maybe sixty years before it has to be replaced. Tell me, how many miles do you think you could drive in a lifetime?"

"I'd hardly call 60 years a _lifetime_, maybe _100 _years." Katja quipped as she glared enviously at the window display out of the corner of her eye.

"Always one to find a fault..." Trieze sighed as he closed the image down and started the HVG on its way; No Trieze or Godrick to date had ever lived past 66.

* * *

><p><em>...at "The Mall"...<em>

Trieze swallowed hard as he put the pieces together now that they were standing outside a store that seemed a shrine to everything Katja coined as 'Metal'.

"So!" Katja wheeled about to stand in front of him confrontationally, "If you want to sit with us, you have to dress goth for a week."

"Isn't that a little... excessive?" as he caught sight of some of the customers sporting the fashion already he added, "A _whole_ week? We are talking about only _at school _right?"

"Fine, THREE days, in a row, and you have to go ALL out."

Milliardo made a point to review the merchandise in the front window, ignoring any pleas for help behind him. The three of them had had plenty of time to plan this out while Trieze was at fencing club. Samantha next to him spotted an "eared" cat-hoodie with matching mittens,

"Ooo! That's cute." Cute... it was a strange short word Milliardo had never found much of a place for before, but sure enough it was a fitting description when Samantha dashed inside and tried it on. "Come on Trieze, it'll be like playing dress-up, don't you _like_ dressing up?" She hid her smile behind the paw mittens in a kitten like fashion.

Trieze cautiously edged inside the store that was blaring much of the same thrashing "music" that the girl's band had been trying to mimic the day before.

"I like taking pride in my appearance, it's not as if I play with _Dolls_."

"You have plenty of choices you know... you could go punk," Katja indicated a blue spike-Mohawk guy with tight faded black jeans, a leather studded jacket, pair of huge bulky black boots and loops of chain hanging off his waist, "Or vintage," there was a girl wearing a corset and lace style dress almost directly out of the Victorian era, "Classic," There was a guy and a girl both wearing excessively wide legged pants with more pockets and details then... well **not** more then his HVG, but close; both wearing 'band tees' and an assortment of jewelry, "Or 'Rainbow Bright'" another customer checking out had his hair dyed bright yellow-green, 'Charlie the Unicorn' T-Shirt and sporting every neon color that he could possibly clash.

"I'm not sure about this..."

It was too late though as Samantha pulled a bright blue pair of the wide legged pants out of the rack,

"Oh! Find something that will go with these! Katja, do they still have the neon colored fishnet shirts over there?"

"Nope sold out, but they have _this_ still!" She held up a bottle of bright blue hair dye.

"You told them I like blue didn't you?" Trieze turned to Milliardo who was reviewing the "slogan" tees next to him.

"...and that you have a several thousand dollar daily withdrawal limit on your debit card, yes."

Trieze snatched the dye out of Katja's hand,

"Cloths, _fine_. Hair? No. Absolutely _nothing_ permanent."

"Oh, good! This washes out in a month," She snatched it back, "AND that means we can get you some piercings too 'cause they'll heal up if you just leave them out, right?"

Trieze laughed nervously,

"Absolutely NOT! My FATHER would KILL me."

Katja wasn't really paying attention,

"Oh come on, everyone says that about their parents... it's not like it's ever TRUE."

"When it comes to my father, everything is true..." It took nearly an hour before they were finally ready to leave the store.

Trieze insisted on buying the two girls whatever they fancied for themselves as well, despite the 'torture' they were attempting to inflict on his ego. He let Katja have her confidence that it was an attempt to endear himself further... rather then simply the fact that it meant watching Samantha try on almost every skirt style in stock until she found the one she liked.


	6. Guys And Their Dolls

(((Check you have read "The Mall" section at the end of last chapter!

Also, this might seem some what familiar format for anyone who's read Quest for KBLRose ch2... That starts out with 'the' Trieze, so I figure it's only fair for 'a' Godrick to get his own special kind of 'up-close & personal' intro scene. The differences tell the whole story.

This is short, cuz the end of Ch 11 is gonna be long, and some nice Mobile Suit "Action-Action" coming shortly to a screen near you... though it might suddenly take forever like 'Grim Reaper and Scythe' section from Night Grinned... for the same reason it did... get it? Action-action? ….Okay, okay...I'll go back to my corner and poke at the keyboard there...)))

* * *

><p><strong>Guys, Their Dolls.<strong>_.._

_...and the 13 piercings you never noticed...among other things..._

Sir Godrick...

...slowly drew the straight razor, delicately balanced between his fingertips, up the length of of Alicia's leg, barely brushing against her skin. After each up-stroke he picked up a cloth lathered in lotion floating next to him and ran it back down before picking his next track back to the top. The two were taking their morning bath in the large round stone in-floor tub in the middle of the Main Master bedroom in the central wing of the castle.

"Turn." While she shifted onto her back, he paused to stretch and comb back the long, dark, wet curtain of hair that had fallen in front of his face.

"Milliardo seems to have improved a great deal in very short order." Alicia's eyes were closed, her head resting on a pillow at the tub's edge as Godrick positioned her legs apart, cradling her pale, lithe body above the water with his knees so he could continue his meticulous work; individually severing each filament exactly the way loved them to be.

"I knew the boys would benefit from some new experiences..." he gently rinsed away the trimmings; his thumb wandering to tease at her whortelberry, watching through his long lashes as the wash of heat blushed across her collarbone and her lush lips parted to release a gasp of contentment.

"Trieze _however_," Alicia opened her eyes and sat up to catch his hand at its play, "has _not_." her emerald eyes flashed dangerously framed by her dark ruby twists.

Godrick sighed heavily as he settled back, easing her back into the water; cleaning his blade and dropping it into the bowl beside the tub with the cloth,

"What more, my lady, would you seek from him? Trieze is nearly a man, some things can not be helped."

"_Some things_ can. From this latest tale of Milliardo's it does not seem like he has caught on to those _morals_ you claim to have imparted to him, has he?"

Godrick scoffed tossing his hair back over each of his shoulders before gliding up along side his love,

"You have not even given him a chance!" he moved in to purr along her neck, but she would have none of it dunking under the water and slipping out of his embrace to resurface on the other side, standing.

"_He_ has had enough of a chance to inveigle his way into another young lady's..." Alicia stopped to give her husband a sour look behind her with one foot on the rim, "...I do not need to say it." she finished climbing from the water and began to dry herself with a large thick green towel that lay in wait, "This has to stop, I do not want my son treating people like play things."

_Another _crystal-edged glare to her husband reclining in the tub, whom returned it with his own incredulous look as she wrapped the towel about herself.

"Your son has a very healthy respect of free will, I doubt he would ever be so _heartless_." Sir Godrick crossed his muscular arms in defiance.

"**I** doubt that a lack of heart would be necessary," she stuck her nose in the air as she crossed to the massive, elaborately carved, mahogany and gold leaf wardrobe, "In fact I think a great deal of heart may just as likely be his problem. Please, you must enforce some sort of _restraint_ on the boy, Godrick. You can not just let him do as he wants."

"I told you I would take care of it and I am." He dropped his head back to look at his wife upside-down as she started searching for something to wear.

"...Godrick..."

"Yes dear?" his tone dripped with sugar-plum icing.

"...Have you been shopping again?" She had stopped on a dazzlingly patterned slinky dress of blue, green and gold; looking back at him accusingly.

He turned over to fold his arms on the edge and rest his chin on them, his blue eyes alight with pleading innocence,

"You have not even seen the shoes yet." he finished with a hurt pout.

Alicia rolled her eyes at the impossible man, lifting the lid with her toe for a peak into the brand new box on the wardrobe floor. She could only sigh, unable to stop the smile spreading across her face – after one glance they were already her new favorites.

"I suppose you even know exactly how you want to do my hair today?" She turned to face him with a hand on her hip as he got out of the tub, loosely drying himself with his own blue towel.

"Well... I figured first I would _undo_ your hair a little," he walked up to her, still naked, and pulled her into a close suggestive hug, "and then maybe..." out of no where he lifted up a delicate netting of golden chain affixed with tiny bells and clips with diamond accents, his elegant eyebrows raised hopefully.

Alicia shook her head in wonder succumbing to his unrelenting charm; At least her husband always had impeccable sense of style. He scooped her up in his arms and gleefully whisked her into the (also massive) bed to celebrate his victory, smothering her body with kisses as he drew the sheets around them.

* * *

><p><em>...a while later in the hallway...<em>

"Trieze! A word if you will, son."

Trieze stopped dead stifling his panic, thus far he had managed to avoid a direct confrontation with his father since the previous afternoon. Even at this early hour Sir Godrick was already dressed in his blue and white breasted formal jacket. He could only hope that luck would be on his side, and not his father's impeccable eye for detail.

"Of course father, is there anything I can do?" he gripped the strap of his backpack overstuffed with an extra change of cloths for his little 'trial' as Godrick came up and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, your mother and I have been talking and I think we can call the kitchen staff back to work..."

Trieze couldn't help smirking, closing his eyes,

"I see. That certainly is a relief to hear."

"Yes, it _was _quite a relief, but before you go," His father paused and he fought the urge to cringe at the suspense, "I was just thinking that perhaps you should invite your young lady friend to dinner? Your mother would like to meet her."

Trieze was mentally mid-sigh that his father had not caught on to anything unusual, when he realized what had just been said and gulped,

"My lady friend? Which would that be?"

"Oh you know which one... Candy Cane, wasn't it?" Sir Godrick gave him a hard, friendly pat or two before he continued off down the corridor.

"Her!" Trieze coughed, "Of course... I will be sure to inquire of her time at the earliest convenience." he ended with slight bow.

"Good, good..." Sir Godrick suddenly stopped, and turned, frowning, "Trieze..."

"Yes father?" he did his best stop his heart leaping out his throat.

"Your ears... they seem rather... flush." he took a step back down the hallway towards his son.

"Do they? I suppose its just..." his mind scrambled, "...knowing the kitchen staff isn't the only one back to work?"

His father's advance was halted by that as a grin twisted across his older face; Sir Godrick shook his finger at his boy with a sly look,

"That, is a very good one..." His laughter could be heard echoing off the stonework long after he'd disappeared around the corner.

Trieze almost dropped to the ground with relief the man hadn't noticed the holes for the 7 cartilage and 6 regular lobe piercings he'd been "forced" into the previous afternoon.


	7. Nitroglycerin

(((OK so should have had this idea April 1st... but we're just going to call this a tribute to April in general... you'll see why. Number of reasons for writing this chapter...

One, By The Roadway ch11 pt 6 side B... is taking forever like I thought it would... But is now done! Yay!

Two, I can excitedly tell you all that BtRw Ch9 Part 2 The Mongoose & The Dragon is WELL underway so it should appear shortly after ch11 gets finished! And lead right into Chapter 10; and Ch 12 has been written in my head a 100X over so that's just going to be a matter of stringing together the best bits ^_^ That dinner table (in the Sank Kingdom) is going DOWN... and most of it's pretty ornate chairs too!

Three, I haven't written any scenes so far that actually take place ON/in the colonies.

Four, Double section of Nitroglycerin Mudo antics set before he meets Trieze... Can you really complain? Like the two sides of his personality you have here; Part 1 is good-old-flashback sob-story Drama, Part 2 is approx. 188AC and is more "Mary Jane" fun. We'll just say it's because Cynthia loves it. Hey, if you leave lots of reviews I'd write more stuff you like too :P Anonymous ones are allowed too ye know.))

**Go Read 'A Fan For Shiko'... it's short, fun and 'Forking Awesome'** it's a: Heero Yuy(Politician) X Shiko Tsukoto Mudo pairing.

* * *

><p><strong>The O G B: Original Gangster Boy? Naw man, Original Gundam Boy!<strong>

…_AC 180...In the L1 colony cluster...5 Years after Yuy's Assassination..._

"Sir! Its on the verge of a riot out there as it is, are you sure about this? He's only a kid!" One of the younger Alliance officers came back inside the holding room.

Kneeling in the middle of the room circled by guards with rifles leveled was a 9 year old Nitroglycerin Mudo, dressed simply in black cargo pants, magnetic bottomed boots and a tight black sleeveless shirt. His shaking hands too small for cuffs were zip-tied behind him; head bowed so the long black bangs escaping from his even longer ponytail hung in front of his face.

"I've had enough of that talk! Kid or not he broke into OUR supply depot during an emergency lock-down! For all we know those damn rebels put that breach in the air exchange system on purpose! We need to put our foot down and show them that they can't go relying on children to do their dirty work anymore. If we can't prove _to Earth_ that we are capable of enforcing order in this cluster then we might as well just hand the whole lot over to the workers! So get him out there!" The elite Specials Commander in charge pointed sharply to the door.

One of the soldiers hoisted Mudo up onto his feet and they started to escort him out of the room.

"But Sir! Won't this make us equally unpopular with people on Earth? They might start to sympathize with the resistance movement!"

With a snarl the Commander grabbed Nitro by his hair and pulled forth a standard issue knife. He roughly cut across the back of Mudo's shirt, leaving a long gouge across one shoulder blade, and tore the rest of the thin cloth from his body – exposing the lack of a button like pit on his abdomen that served as a "mark of authenticity" in many people's minds.

"There, take him now." He sneered shoving the boy back to the guards, "No one on Earth cares if we get rid of another piece of artificial trash. I'm sure Shiko can afford a new one."

Outside, inside X12-566 of the L1 cluster, snow was falling...

...it wasn't supposed to be falling. The breach in the air exchange system had come close to depressurizing the entire colony, within a minute the entire massive free floating space structure would have been an oxygen-less vacuum; killing every person outside of a shelter or without a spacesuit. Not a problem for most... as few of the population were 'fully' artificially birthed.

Most born in mankind's home away from home came about in a natural sense and it was safe for a certain period of months for the mother to carry the child. Then, for reasons not quite understood, the unstable gravity of the artificial world became a risk factor in the later stages of pregnancy; calling for the need to move the still developing fetus into a fluid filled, computer controlled nurture chamber.

For reasons to be disclosed later (meaning in more entertaining ways), Mudo's life had skipped straight from step 1 to step 3. For other reasons to also be disclosed later, during the early years of the AC century as the Colonies were first being built and populated, man kind pushed the very boundaries of what it meant to be human when they created the "Proto's"; giving rise to an extremely controversial set of laws created to secure the boundary between humanity and its creations.

The prejudice that was formed against those who were seen as 'unnecessarily' artificial has already been clearly established for you. It wasn't Nitro's fault that the Alliance had turned him away from the Emergency shelter.

His father, Shiko Tsukoto Mudo, was the very influential owner of business empire that included the Mall of the Moon (one of the most lucrative tourist spots in the entire Earth Sphere) but that didn't mean he was able to change the mind of the Specials officers in charge of the Alliance outpost on X12-566. After being told by his father to "Go home and wait it out" the young boy had taken it upon himself to commandeer a set of space suits for himself and others who'd been turned away from the Emergency shelters – at least he'd tried to.

Now as he walked shirtless through the flurry of strange frozen water clusters, he could hear the roar of the population that had gathered outside the gates of the military headquarters; scared, outraged and hungry for answers from the occupational force that always asserted they had everything under control. Obviously they didn't; the people who could handle it were being kept from doing their jobs and in the end... everyone suffered.

What are you supposed to do when your told to hold still while other men line up to shoot you? At the same time that the stage was surrounded with armed Alliance soldiers, most of them were preoccupied with the seething crowd that threatened to spill over the barriers any second. Fear was the only real shackle that held him firmly in place as the Specials Commander made his public address with his final verdict on the matter.

It was strange as a shocked silence pulsed through the throng at the announcement of the execution that would be carried out immediately. Looking back on that moment one day, as slowly melting white flakes settled in his hair and a trickle of warm red blood ran down his bare back, Nitro would be glad for the cold; it was a convenient excuse for how violently he trembled staring down his own death as the firing squad leveled their rifles. The realization of how delusional the oppressive forces had become ruling over their 'indentured servants' finally hit home for many that day.

The swell in response was like a tidal wave flooding forwards to envelop the barricade, on the edges folding around the entire walled-in headquarters and beginning to flood UP the high walls into the compound itself. The soldiers were distracted from their orders as they found themselves suddenly engaged in a street brawl outnumbered 50 to 1; Gunfire sporadically cutting through the seemingly unending scream of thousands.

Riding that swell straight to the front, was a tall, too symmetrical man with sky blue hair and sandy colored eyes. As a Prototype-Human, an Organic Robot grown from a constructed genome, 629 was one of the last left in commission and sure to stand out in any crowd with his distinctive color swap "error". His abnormally high muscle density meant leaping the distance up onto the stage was no problem at all, nor was casually tossing the Specials Commander with one arm over the heads of his helplessly struggling subordinates and out into the raging crowd.

Obstructions removed from his path he crouched down in front of his master's young son,

"We must be gone from here, it is not safe for you. Carrying you will be best, yes?"

"Yes, 629! Carry me and run very fast!"

The crying Nitro needn't say more as 629 whisked him up under his cloak and picked the fastest rout to get as far away from the unfolding violence as you could get living inside a massive doughnut. (food.)

* * *

><p><em>...AC 188... April 20th... ((Published at 4am ((HEY! No driving under ANY influence, ye hear me out there in Reader Land? Consider that disclaimed.))))<em>

The uniform grid pattern made hundreds of short lateral roads that spanned from one side to the other, but there were only a few roads that wrapped around the entirety of the inner wheel of X14-207 of the L1 colony cluster. Even fewer people then those roads bothered with owning a personal vehicle, since public transit and plain old walking got you most places with less hassle.

So, it was well known who it was driving the electric powered green and white"Terra-bite" that would start trundling past one of the low-security storage depots, located along an outer band road with virtually no traffic at all, around four o'clock each afternoon.

The Terra-bite, named to literally mean "Earth Bite" with a symbol of the Earth missing a chunk on it's front nose, was a revival of the VW mini-bus design marketed as perfect for the personal transport needs of the Colonies. True to it's originator those needs apparently were much the same as the ones that made it famous in California, USA: as the fog thickened, with each pass on its one-way straight-line journey, the need for the tinted windows and interior side-curtains diminished significantly.

"I just don't get it," one of the Soldiers on guard outside the depot started, shaking his head. The mini-bus had just reappeared over the tops of the buildings above them; climbing towards the center axis where it would disappear from view for a few minutes, reappear once more on the other side, before dropping down below the 'skyline' of buildings on the other side of the horizon to make it's approach for another pass. "They get free housing, free food, free water, free utilities, job security like you can't find on Earth, all the damn weed they can smoke... and yet they still have reasons to complain? It's just not fair! Like, for us, not them!"

"Oh come off it, Wicker. You've been whining about how much you miss smoking since we got on the damn shuttle to ship out here!"

"Well why not? I only signed up because it's frikken legal to smoke it here! But No, we have to follow Earth rules... and that means we don't get to have a little R and R whilst working so hard to keep the peace for these ungrateful people!"

"Hey, just be glad that they are relaxing and smoking their dope instead of trying to break in here and take us hostage or something."

The mini-bus had just disappeared behind the center axial as Wicker's eyes went wide, and his mouth dropped open,

"Wait a minute! WHAT did you _just say_?"

"What? That we should be glad they're smoking dope instead of trying to break in here and take us hostage?" he didn't like his friend's even more excited expression at whatever brilliant plan he had just uncovered in his herb-hungering mind.

"You... are a GENIUS!"

"Look I don't want to get in trouble so wha –"

"Whoa, whoa," Wicker interrupted him, "No one is going to get in trouble here, okay? I just need you to watch my back is all, okay?"

The other soldier on guard let out a long sigh,

"**What** _this time_."

* * *

><p>Nitroglycerin Mudo took another long drag off the extending hose of the "installed" bong-like apparatus in his electric car, as "Schnappi" by Benny Benassi (real song, all rights reserved to owner etc.) pumped out of the sound system.<p>

"Man," Trevor, one of the friends accompanying them today, spoke up. "Don't you think like, maybe we should, I don't know, make some zig-zags or something? I hate driving past those damn Alliance soldiers all the time, gives me the creeps man."

"Naw man, we stay the course. Fuck those guys." He passed the hose behind him adding to the haze with his exhale.

"I don't know man, I kinda get sketched out too..." It was Shinto in the far back this time, "Mostly by anyone with a gun... I'm all peace and love you know that man!"

"Alright, maybe _next_ time we'll try taking a detour around this stretch," He looked back over his shoulder at the two, "How's that for you Paranoid Pussies back there?"

"OH MY GOD!"

"NITRO!"

Their surprised expressions warned him of the danger before their exclamations and Mudo whipped back around in his seat and slammed on the breaks... still 300 yards from where one of the Alliance soldiers was standing in the road with his standard issue rifle. Nitro still even had to squint trying to make out that much waving a clear patch in the smoke, it was hardly an emergency... yet.

"Guys just chill." he set the car in motion, creeping it closer and closer, keeping a wary eye out for re-enforcements... the soldier didn't move and continued to stand blocking the road. "Alright... Just... stay in the car, okay?"

Nitro opened his door. The slow moving air circulation of the colony interior took hold of the mass of smoke inside the mini-bus, pulling and stretching it into a twisting dragon that escaped over the roof tops leaving a pungent trail in it's wake. He stood to stare down the blocking officer, staying behind his open door in case this was an ambush.

Wicker... put his rifle down on the road and lifted his hands into the air.

"I surrender."

"What?" Mudo asked raising his eyebrows in confusion.

"I said, I **surrender**. Come on, now you gotta take me hostage, right?"

"Is he out of his mind?" a voice piped from behind Mudo.

He turned to see Shinto and Trevor leaning out the now open side windows.

"What did I tell you guys! Get. Back. IN!"

"Well, what are you guys waiting for? You gonna do it or what?" Wicker coughed meaningfully.

"You... wait right there... while we... conference on this." Nitro dodged back in the car and slammed the door shut. "What the FUCK do we do?"

"Yo! We should so do it man! It would be awesome!" Shinto of course was ever willing to forgive and forget.

"NO FUCKING WAY! It's probably a set up man! They're gonna frame us and say we did all this terrible shit to him and put it all over the news... No way!" Trevor, was usually a bit paranoid, this was no exception.

Mudo thought about it, watching the soldier who was still holding his hand-raised posture of mercy.

"They wouldn't have to set us up Trevor, they could just walk over here and shoot us right now. It'd be a lot simpler on their part. So..." He looked back at his two friends with a huge grin on his face. "...Is that Duct tape still back there?"

…Twenty minutes later Wicker was thrown back out of the mini-bus' sliding door as it drove by... Very high, hands and feet bound and wearing a bright red dress instead of his uniform.

"So are you writing the report on this... or should I?" His friend had just walked over as he lay left behind in the dust.


	8. Back2 Guys N Dolls

**Back to Guys & Dolls...**

...another day at school...

((Happy 4/20... If you haven't read both chapters of "A Fan For Shiko", you definitely should.))

* * *

><p><em>...Art Class...<em>

"What exactly IS that supposed to be?" Katja leaned in over Trieze's shoulder to try and see if the object he was trying to sculpt out of colored clay would make more sense from that angle.

It was the third day of Trieze's trial already and the novelty of his pierced ears and industrially decorated clothing had faded, even if to Katja's annoyance, the effect of the irresistible allure of his good looks on the 'preppy girls' had not. As if oblivious to his style choices, and the heartless humiliation Casey suffered at his hands, they would still timidly approach Trieze in the hallways to awkwardly try to strike up a conversation with him.

"It's a..." he trailed off honestly as puzzled as her at his own inability to render a three dimensional shape from the reference pictures he'd selected. Neither the private school nor his home tutors had ever covered this sort of thing, they just didn't have time with everything else!

"An Orange? That's been...smashed into the sidewalk?" she poked at a bit that was SUPPOSED to be the back foot of a curled up orange tabby cat.

"Huh..." he used his hand to frame out the portion that was supposed to be the face and squinted, "Yeah... that... I think that's what it is." he was nodding, it might work.

"So you weren't trying to make a modern expressionist sculpture, that's just the happy accident your going to sell to Ms. Watson as brilliant inspiration resulting from your long hours of contemplating the nature of a curled up cat?" Katja's dry tone bespoke her feelings on the matter.

Trieze flashed a congenial smile anyways,

"That sounds about right. I certainly will make sure to credit your participation in the process of course." he was already dimpling the surface and carving into the clay with a loop tool to accentuate the smashed fruit impression.

"I can't believe it! If I pulled some crap like that she'd fail my project!"

"There is a very good reason for that." Trieze had removed the cat's 'face' and was adding to the collapsed fringe where the peal splayed out under the impacted oval, "Your clearly far more capable then me." He paused to indicate the difference between his simple pursuit and her nearly 10inch long, green, scale textured, serpentine water dragon complete with red accents on it's fin like frills, nails and eyes.

"Pfft! Still isn't fair..." she grumbled going back to adding the aqua whisker-like details to it's body.

* * *

><p><em>...Tech Shop...<em>

Trieze sat at the drafting table in the corner of the large ventilated room full of heavy machinery, two partially built cars and an assortment of appliances either being repaired or slowly scraped for parts. Without the slightest interest in learning the ins & outs of mechanical repair labor he was engrossed in the latest technical schematics and testing results from the Aries development lab. It was simply ingenious the way that they were able to devise such a compact system capable of keeping the massive machine aloft for near continuous flight...

...so ingenious it gave him an idea for how to improve his own mechanical pride and joy... the HVG; He asked the teacher for permission to go to the parking lot so he could properly analyze the improvement possibilities.

...out in the lot...

"Hey, suicide boy! How's that cutting habit coming?" it was Jason, with Kevin, smoking crouched down between their cars... the novelty of Katja's attempt to humiliate Trieze had not worn off for them.

"Not as well as your class cutting, naturally." Trieze had found it puzzling when Samantha had explained what it meant to be a 'cutter', he didn't understand how bleeding one's self could be considered 'therapeutic', it just seemed like senseless mutilation of otherwise perfectly good skin.

"Ohhh, that's a good one." Jason got up and crossed the aisle, "You saying your _not_ out here cutting class? Or is it just like ass-sex and doesn't count 'cause your a rich boy?"

"I thought you'd be glad to have your girl back, you seem a more fitting couple anyways." Trieze held his ground as he approached.

"Is that it? You were doing me a favor, Ass-boy?" Jason gave him a sharp two handed shove, to which Trieze gave way smoothly taking up a wide legged stance and crossing his arms.

"Do you think your doing yourself a favor right now?" his deep blue eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Jason lay off it, this isn't the place man." Kevin was looking nervously back towards the building they were in plain sight of.

"Your right. We should settle this properly sometime, Ass-boy." he spit on the ground before following Kevin back towards the school.

'_We should.'_ Trieze mused looking thoughtfully over at Jason and Kevin's modified vehicles...

* * *

><p><em>...On Swan Lake...<em>

Samantha had asked the music teacher's permission to use the auditorium stage after school to practice for her dance recital in a few weeks, it was a 20's flapper-style re-writing of the ballet classic '_Swan Lake'_. The attempted 'hip flare' was a tacky, raunchy and down right tasteless massacre of an otherwise solid piece of traditional choreography; and it also meant she had to do the whole thing in 4 inch heels instead of point shoes.

For practice's sake she'd decided to stick with a pair of flats, but still was having trouble remembering a lot of the transitions with out a partner to take her cues from. It took several tries before she made it the whole way through the first routine... Samantha wasn't pleased hearing the sound of a lone pair of hands clapping behind her. Sure enough, it was Trieze.

"Aren't you supposed to be re-inventing the sport of fencing for the disenfranchised masses or something?" she moved to quickly shut off the music that was still playing.

"I've given them all the instruction they need to team up and perfect what technique they have. You however, seem to be the one needing a partner."

"Thanks for that helpful observation, really. My _partner_ goes to a different school, we just attend the same dance studio, it's not like I can get him to meet up on short notice or anything." It was obvious from her tone she just wanted to get rid of him and back to work.

"That seems fortunate, as there is something I need a partner of sorts for... perhaps we might negotiate a trade? I think you'll find I'm not that bad of a dancer myself." Trieze offered a hand her way.

"Whoa, wait, wait. What?" Samantha was set back on her heels, crossing her arms over her chest as if to lock her hands away, "Exactly _what_ kind of _something_?" he had better not mean what she thought he meant.

"Its just a family dinner!" Trieze waved his hands defensively trying to dispel her sudden mood shift. "You aren't dating your 'Partner', are you?"

Samantha frowned, something was still up with him,

"That doesn't mean I want to date you."

"I wasn't suggesting that you do. You see... my mother and father would really like to meet the friends Milliardo has been telling them so much about, I just supposed that perhaps you would feel more comfortable if **I **were to invite you." He smiled lightly, unsuspiciously. Her frown deepened.

"You aren't about to throw in some twist where you try and make me agree to let you introduce me to your parents as Casey Cassidy, are you?"

Trieze blinked in surprise,

"Wha... Why would you think something... like that?" he tried to laugh it off, but in all truth he'd just been caught red-handed.

"Because Milliardo told us that he told your parents about you hooking up with her."

"Does he hold anything back?" Trieze was shifting uncomfortably now.

"What's wrong Trieze, aren't you proud you screwed the hottest girl in school over and up the ass? I thought that was the sort of thing you liked showing off."

Trieze let out a long sigh,

"Whats been done, has been done. Alright? I was just going to say, when ever you're next available Katja and you are welcome to come to dinner. If you'd like, I'd also be happy to be your stand-in and help your practicing go smoother. It's up to you to decide."

Samantha laughed,

"You? Be my 'stand-in'? You don't even know the steps."

"You might be surprised. I was watching you attempt it enough times I think I get the gist of what the other half is supposed to be." Trieze took a step closer re-offering his hand. Samantha looked at it, taking a few moments to think first.

"Alright fine, but I'm only going to _think_ about going to your place for dinner. Let me go get the heels on..." she relented out of frustration and went to cue up the music and fetch the specialized dancing shoes.

"Heels? Your not serious are you?" Trieze asked disbelieving.

"Yeah, heels. They made everything 20's flapper-style and modeled the set and costumes off of that musical '_Guys & Dolls_' about the mission girl and the guy with the gambling problem? You know, that one?" she'd flipped off the flats and was affixing the raised footwear.

"Can't say I do..." He shook his head, "I have seen several ballets and numerous operas however."

"You've never taken Ballet before though, have you?" she paused before starting the music back up.

"I'm very well versed in ballroom and several other socially traditional dances." he offered matter-of-factually.

"Well then, here goes nothing..." she hit play and scurried to take up her starting position by his side... and was quickly impressed with how few pointers he needed to keep up with her.

* * *

><p><em>...Walking up the steps again...<em>

Walking up the steps at home with Milliardo a while later, Trieze felt like he'd made good progress that week. His trial was over, he'd started to reign in Katja's commentary, soon would be putting his less then worthy rival in his place and hopefully a more then worthy dance partner in Casey's place.

"Honestly Milliard, do you have to go getting involved in everything I do? Can't you let anything just happen according to nature?" Trieze huffed halfheartedly as they were passing by the pair of Lynx statues currently adorning the sides of the front entrance.

Milliardo kept a tight-lipped silence, acquiescing to the request to not interfere even though he was sure Trieze hadn't noticed what was wrong.

"...Can you talk to Katja though, since this is all _your_ doing? It would be nice to have them over to see where you live, wouldn't it? I'm sure they would get a kick out of the architecture in the older sections..." Trieze continued on oblivious.

Milliardo spotted Sir Godrick a bit further down the hall going over some paperwork with his manservant, Alonzo. They would be passing them soon... he continued to say nothing to Trieze.

"...it would probably be a good idea to find out what they like to eat, I'm sure I can make sure they get accommodated –"

"TRIEZE GODRICK THE THIRTEENTH!" Sir Godrick cut him off, staring in mortified shock at his (now confused) son.

Trieze frozen in place looked to Milliardo for an answer as to what he'd done this time...

"You forgot something..." Milliard flicked the back of one of his own ears to accentuate his point.

Trieze's eyes expanded with the horrified realization...

…that he'd forgotten to remove the 13 piercings when changing back into his 'normal' cloths.


	9. Sky High Masterson

**Keep Betting "Sky High", Masterson!**

DO look up on wiki the G.S. Patton speech that is mentioned here if you don't know it, it's awesome...

New Material added to "Night Grinned Viciously Back" too for those who haven't looked... Oh and "Quest for the Khushrenada Blue Lotus Rose" has the whole Alicia X Sir Godrick and the Rose Bush story now.

* * *

><p>Mr. Santonia was in full swing explaining the complected global economic forces pre-After Colony century that had combined to launch the very first habitable living structures in space.<p>

As fascinating as his performance was, embellishing the factual progression leading to the dawn of a new century for mankind with rapid fire diagrams and highlight quotes from notable parties at the time, Trieze's head tracked a sure, steady, sinking course, down, down... down... onto his desk.

Katja was taking full advantage of the still life opportunity to sketch out a picture of him... adjusting his pose and re-creating the background into forest scene with evil pixies about to set upon him with mischievous deeds. Samantha glanced back and forth gauging how much longer until the teacher would wait before...

"Mr. Khushrenada!" the teacher's copy of the text slapped down on the podium at the front; the sound jerking Trieze awake. "The first day, I granted you leeway for your lack of participation since you are typically so vocal, the second day it was obvious you needed the nap, but this is the THIRD time in a row you seem to have decided to use my lecture for your beauty sleep! I think it is fair that I demand an explanation!"

Trieze did his best to shake his fatigue and dared not give Katja the satisfaction of an accusing glare. His voice was hoarse and he did not at all sound like his well composed self,

"I do apologize my father insisted I spend the night memorizing General George S. Patton's AD 1944, June 5th speech to the U.S. Third Army."

"And the two nights before?"

"Shine and sharpening every blade in his antique collection... which I'm still not finished with." he begrudgingly added.

"Oh really? And how many more do you have left?"

"Over Nine Thousand..." You could hear the agony in his voice acknowledging the impossible challenge he'd been burdened with after his father's discovery of the recent fashion experiment.

"What? Over _Nine Thousand_? Perhaps if this is expected to continue, you should consider excusing yourself from this class room. There is only so much exception that can be taken." He pointed to the door. With a great sigh Trieze packed his things and left.

The girls exchanged a worried glance as Mr. Santonia fetched his grade book to make an annotation in it.

* * *

><p><em>...Lunch...<em>

Milliardo searched the sea of students in the lunch room, confused as to where Trieze could be.

"Katja, was Trieze in 2nd period?"

"He was there, but the teacher kicked him out. Why?"

"He didn't come to Gym and I'm not seeing him now."

"Probably went to his car-thing to take a nap. His dad really got upset about the piercings, huh?" Samantha asked feeling guilty.

"Sir Godrick has always been a perfectionist. I'm sure Trieze will survive, but maybe I should go check if I need to be calling for a ride home." Both girls decided to join him.

...Out in the lot they found him unconscious slouched over the wheel of the HVG.

"Trieze... Trieze wake up." Milliardo climbed in the passenger side to give his shoulder a shake.

"...Carmilla...don't exaggerate the fruits...babies aren't for eating..." he grumbled, refusing to awaken as he blindly tried to fend Milliard off, resettling against the driver's door.

"Here I got it..." Katja climbed in over Milliardo, causing him to be painfully aware of the confining space as a fluttering rose in his chest. She slipped into a kneeling crouch pulling forth her over-sized noise canceling headphones and set them over Trieze's ears.

That woke him up; he almost hit Milliard with the headphones in the sudden jerk to tear them off.

"WHA! Oh, gods no..." he looked around at the three rubbing his face groggily, "Whatever you want, no." Trieze crossed his arms over his chest settling back against the door again to close his eyes.

"Trieze are you going to be able to drive me back later, or are you just sleeping here all day?" Milliardo could see the flash of pain wince across his face at the question.

"I would not be driving you if you are staying after," he gave a big yawn, "...because I have to report in to the Specials Academy for a system functions practical."

"What Specials Academy?" Katja looked confused at Milliardo, but Trieze answered her.

"War stuff..." he lazily pointed at the plastic covered uniform hanging next to her behind his seat.

"Oh..." there was a whistle followed by a shout outside the car.

"Hey sweetie babe! Waiting in line to get your corn-hole stuffed too?" It was Jason, duh.

"Wait a minute... _who_ is he addressing?" Trieze's eyes cracked open, his befuddled tone sizzling off the hot plate of his wore-out temperament.

"...Me... We used to date, just ignore him." Samantha, who was the only one still standing outside the open passenger door admitted with an embarrassed blush. Trieze, not in any state to 'just ignore him', had already thrown open the driver's side door and was stepping out.

"Trieze...!" Recognizing that focused burning look in his deep blue eyes Milliardo was quickly clambering after him to attempt to restrain him from doing anything rash. Katja looked to Samantha then hurried out of the HVG to get her camera ready.

"You incomprehensibly miniscule piece of swine shit. It's _so hard _to tell if your erratic bovine orations are in fact derived from your insecure holdings on your testicles, _something obvious _from your constant need to check if they are still affixed, or simply from the complete retardation caused by your constant self manipulation uncoupled with any sort of relieving final punctuation!"

"What?" Jason seemed more offended by his own confusion then what had been said to him.

"I _said_, your inadequately sized, sound like a ball-less bull, and are incapable of ejaculating! Oh," He took a moment to ponder the distance just over Jason's head before returning to him with a villainous snarl, "...sorry, not incapable. Simply unable to do so with out female assistance! At that point, your scrotum has gotten so purple from holding itself that it veritably explodes at the first prodding, that is IF it hasn't already done so!"

Samantha couldn't help snickering, her and Jason's relationship might not have lasted long, but it was enough to know Casey hadn't been lying to Trieze about that. In fact the only reason their brief relationship lasted as long as it did was because Jason's inability _to last_ had meant he was also unable to even try pressuring her onto a more serious level.

It didn't matter if Milliardo was fully prepared to stop Trieze, Jason launched forwards with his right fist leading.

A Really, really stupid move.

The younger, lankier blond was completely incapable of having any effect on the sudden out break of violence. It wasn't until Kevin came charging across the parking lot to help heave his friend back away from Trieze that the spat ended, especially since Jason had already lost even if he was still determined to get further battered. Both boys were bleeding; Trieze with a split lip and Jason with a shattered nose.

"This isn't fucking over!" Jason screamed struggling. "I _will_ beat your ass, rich boy!"

"With what? That piece of shit you excuse as a high-performance vehicle?"

"Sure, why not! Even fucking Kev-kev here could beat that flashy shit SUV with his truck!"

"I'll take that bet, your both on! Why don't you come by the airstrip on the east side of town?"

"Your fucking on, asslicker!"

"Trieze," Samantha pulling his shirt, "You gotta get out of here!" looking towards the school Coach, one of the administrators and two other teachers were speeding towards the confrontation.

Without even thinking about it, he put a kiss on her cheek before hopping into his 'flashy shit SUV', and scrambled out of the parking lot...

Jason wasn't so lucky and ended up hauled back into the building by Coach for after school detention.

* * *

><p><em>...at the Specials Academy...<em>

Walter Harrington Jr. was still fervidly reviewing the technical manual when Trieze Khushrenada the 13th finally swept into the lecture hall for the exam, his impeccable dress ending at his haggard and still bleeding face.

"I have been studying for this for the past three weeks and I still don't know if I'm going to get half of it right!" Walter looked up at Trieze and did a surprised double take, "I see studying has been giving you a beating as well."

Trieze took his seat next to his close acquaintance with a heavy sigh,

"The truth, my dear Walter? I completely forgot we were going to be having this exam. Haven't looked at the book once."

"Then what happened to you?" he frowned, puzzled.

"My father sent me to a Public School."

"Ah..." Walter sighed with understanding as their instructor finally entered to distribute the test.

Some how Trieze still managed to score 10points higher then the rest of the class... even if, after the allotted time was up, the instructor had to fetch a packet of smelling salts to rouse him from the deep sleep he'd slipped into upon finishing.


	10. Roll the Die Sky!

_**Roll the Die, Sky!**_

Now for more of this cuz apparently everyone loves this story, and not the super angst in "Night Grinned Viciously Back". Well too bad, I'm still writing that one too! Give it another try in 3 more chapters cuz the story structure changes getting into the main scheme of the plot; As in more Gundam Pilots/Preventors stuff and you finally see WHY the whole Susan/Suzi story is important...

I mean, have you ever wondered what would happen if an unpredictable criminal like Vicious just crashed into your ordinary middle-aged-single-mother-office-working life and decided to sleep on your couch? You have no idea when he's leaving or why he picked you to begin with; but maybe you should have expected it considering your daughter, Danielle, is Mariemaia Khushrenada's best friend after all!

Tell me this doesn't tease your interest? =P

We can just pretend its finals for now, but; like really, I want answers people, things don't get better if you don't give pointers. I wonder if I'm not getting the mix quite right on the more serious side of things..? Maybe I'll try changing the descriptive focus in the next few posts and see what you think. Also, I'm going to be doing serious battle sequences for "By The Roadway"... so you have to tell me which points get just boring and which parts are good descriptive detail that there should be more of.

Woot! And yeah, sorry if this is kinda short, I should have had it in with the last chapters but whatever... Longer posts of everything to come! Now go watch Metalocolypse Season 4! (of which my next posting to NGVB will be themed in honor of)

* * *

><p>It was a very weary Trieze Godrick Khushrenada the 13th that finally showed himself on the tarmac late that evening.<p>

By that point it seemed over half the school had shown up to witness the event, Katja's video having been an effective advertisement to draw the crowd.

If Jason had any illusions that he maintained some sort of popularity edge over Trieze, they were gone with the sight of the entire cheer team decked out in Blue and Gold – except for Casey Cassidy, who had stopped going to practice the last week and kept to her dejected self, off to the side.

This was of course Trieze Khushrenada we are talking about here: he didn't merely arrive...he emerged.

A flash of red warning lights and an 'all clear' siren were prelude to the deep thudding, crunching and grinding that accompanied the opening of the massive underground hatch. As the huge steel and concrete doors slide apart, the elevator that moved between the surface and the underground Mobile Suit access tunnels rose up... The HVG parked in the middle with a fully goth bedecked Trieze leaning casually back against it's nose.

His father might have confiscated every piece of jewelry along with the more outlandish leg and torso wear but that didn't stop him from having re-purchased another 13 set of earrings, and a pair of bright blue pocket riddled wide-legged pants to go with his more conservative tight black t-shirt, just to for this occasion. He'd even taken the time to powder his skin white and add a dash of eyeliner; accentuating his already drawn and dead look from lack of sleep.

He made sure to give a congenial wave to his fans before circling around to the driver's door to proceed to the starting line between Jason's mustang and Kevin's truck.

"So," he said getting out of his Gundamium hummer once more now that it was in line to go, "How do you want to do this?"

"Duh, how it should be done, straight down and back. Who ever wins... wins it." Jason spat on the ground.

Kevin nodded his agreement, but was looking more at the vehicles... namely the HVG, he was wondering if Jason's scheme to 'try giving it a little push' would even be a good idea.

With the wide and high design it was easily bigger then his truck, of which most of the 'size' was in the empty cargo bed in the back. Hopefully, the rich kid had something decent under the hood so he wouldn't even have to think about it too much... then again, Kevin's own chrome-stacked-torque machine did know how to get a move on... maybe it was Jason who should be getting the shove?

* * *

><p>...On the bleachers Katja, Samantha and Milliardo were waiting as expectantly as the others.<p>

"See that's the thing Milli, you got to stop taking responsibility for him, especially if he's the one who's supposed to be helping you out! He got into this mess, so now we're just helping him out by... you know," Katja gestured to the assembled crowd, "giving his little show an audience. If he gets in trouble, or gets himself hurt at least your _here_ by his side to say '_I told you so.'_" She ended with a beaming smile that was hardly reassuring to the fretful well-mannered Milliardo.

"Why is he waving at us?" Samantha frowned at the guys on the 'track', the other two looked up.

Milliard felt his phone vibrate and pulled it out,

"Send Samantha down to start." he intoned. Then looked up, "What does that mean?"

She gave a heavy sigh and stood, brushing her purple/green plaid skirt off,

"Ugh, I hate doing this..." was all she did to explain.

"Then don't!"

"Katja, just shut up." She skipped down towards the starting line where Casey had joined the boys as well...

* * *

><p>As the two girls prepared the flags, Kevin and Jason revving their engines to be ready for the drop, Trieze was furiously calculating away on the internal computer pulling his safety harness snugger.<p>

There was the distance from start to the end of the run way, the variables of speed increase over that distance, decrease for an about face, and the amount of time that will have been lost once the HVG was heading back towards the starting line at the maximum possible speed...

All of this told Trieze if he wanted to put on a good show, he had better have been sure about removing all the unsecured items from inside the cab because it was too late for that now. If only he could have had enough time to try developing an air-jet turning system for the otherwise flawless ground machine.

There was a call to be ready as the two flags raised on either side, the amount of smoke pouring out of the truck's shiny smoke-stacks increased along with the emissions from Jason's tail pipe.

Trieze continued to tap away, preparing a flight plan.

The flags dropped in unison and there was an even bigger plume of fouler rubber smoke that erupted from Jason's back tires and all four of Kevin's as they peeled off the starting line... so much smoke it almost seemed like they'd left Trieze behind... _way behind,_ it was revealed as it drifted away, the two other boys continuing to hurdle towards the runway's end.

Trieze tapped away, unphased, keeping one eye on the darkness ahead that they had sped into... the red of their break lights, that was his signal to go.

There!

As the angry red dots flared to life down at the other end Trieze finally engaged the drive system on the freakishly over-powered electric SUV, clicking the panel away and switching the conventional steering-wheel mechanism for a pair of shoulder height dual joysticks.

There was no need for roaring flares or burning tires; the wheels simply started accelerating the car forwards. So quickly that Jason and Kevin rounded the other end to come face to face with the Golden HVG bearing down on them at ludicrous speed... a speed from which one simply does not stop.

In the stands the crowd was on their feet and gasped as the Gundamium machine slammed on what breaks it had and almost seemed to dip its front right shoulder down... going into a full tumbling side roll, the mustang and truck passing on either side of it. Milliardo didn't even realize he was clutching onto Katja's arm.

Trieze kept his tongue firmly against the roof of his mouth to avoid biting it off, holding steady on the controls, praying he'd gotten the velocity right... his hard work, and copious luck paid off as he finally was able to catch the machine back on its rotund feet – already shredding into the pavement and volting the unscratched HVG back up to speed in the opposite direction.

Jason was already feeling the rush of triumph as the finish line raced up to meet him, Kevin giving his last thoughts of mutiny their moment before he let his foot ease off the pedal, when Trieze cut in between the two and blasted across to steal the checkered flag...

"Better luck next time." is all Trieze could offer with a smile afterward; before Jason, with Casey, took off into the night with Kevin in tow. "So... Samantha, I was wondering if you might have an answer for me yet..."

"An answer? About what?" Samantha shied away.

"Will you come to dinner, with Katja, at my home?"

"Fine," she rolled her eyes as the cheer-squad flooded over to show their appreciation for the new hero. "...but only dinner! This doesn't mean we're going out or anything."

"Sure it doesn't." Trieze said with a grin, ignoring all the other girls to give Samantha the second kiss on her cheek that day. '_Not yet at least.'_ ...he added silently.


End file.
